PSP: Pony Space Program
by UnIngenieroMas2
Summary: Weird stuff is about to happen in Ponyville. Rainbow Dash, for some reason, has a new passion and is up to her friends to help her get where no pony has ever gone before.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

These are just a couple of words before the first chapter. If you want some pony action, you are invited to go to the next chapter. Not THAT kind of pony action. Check the rating! This is a decent fic! :)

* * *

Still here? Ok. A pair of words then.

English is not my first language, so I'll be glad to read corrections in the reviews. Yeah. I'll be glad. Probably not immediately, but totally in the long term. That's the first thing I needed to clarify. Not apologizing. Just saying... I need corrections, people. For real. My grammar sucks and one of the objectives of writing this in English is improving my skills. Feel free to go full Reich with grammar.

Not sure I should have said that...

Second thing... My first MLP fic ever! I was supossed to write one about a bubble burst in cider price that eventually leads Equestria into a deep economical recession and, of course, the actions of the Six for solving the issue. Yeah, for real. Probably I'll write that in Spanish. Too complicated.

Seriously people. Economics is hard. I mean... I think I could wrote down a complete specification for a FTL space vehicle before being able to get economics right. Whenever I try economics... Really! Jeezz! My head just explodes.

Sorry. Let's come back to the subject. :)

Regretfully, since I can't control creativity sometimes -everytime-, I just went a little rogue with this first story. No economics involved. I needed an important distraction for the Mane Six in order not to intervene in the bubble burst until it's too late. Eventually it could be the two stories don't match at all.

Anyway, I hope this one to be a good stand-alone in the worst case...

* * *

References! Of course, MLP FiM... Yeah... Obviously. Bad pun. Sorry. If you need something else, "Apollo XIII" and "The Right Stuff" will be there all the time. For the first chapter, the "The Right Stuff" OST's main theme is mandatory. I've found other pony fics with a space program. "Equestrian Space Program" is the only one, actually. This fic is not going to deal with things in the same manner. If there are other fics about a Pony Space Program, please, not plagiarism intended. If you make me notice anyone of them, I'll check them and I'll try not to make things the same.

Other references... Of course! Space Race! A BBC documentary about the space race between soviets and americans. Not sure if realiable but a good point to start your own search. Remember people: no better information than the one you could contrast. Some Star Trek stuff is also present, but not too much, I guess...

Next one... I tend to be very, very, very boring, so I plan to reduce chapter extension to 1500 words tops (Ok, maybe for edits and comments I could pass that limit, but no much further!). About 10 or 15 chapters in total (well, maybe a little longer. Not too much). EDIT: Finally, 20 chapters. Not too long I hope!

Total time for completition... Not sure. I'm supossed to be studying for exams in September. Just things in Spain. Since I can't control creativity, a chapter every two weeks should be the right rate. Not warranties. This is an uncharted territory...

Just that. Enjoy and thanks.

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Edits: OMG! Tons of corrections and addings...

Edit2: It's over people! Thanks for the reviews, the views and the corrections. I have to study now and I'm starting to write "Civil War" for another fandom in Spanish, so I'm afraid the cider bubble burst will have to wait. Sorry. I'll write it, I promise, but it will take a while.


	2. C1 The Right Stuff

**Chapter 1.- The right stuff**

The sun was being risen by Celestia down there, at the horizon. Up there, at Cloudsdale, light was still dimmer and faint.

Rainbow walked towards the runway's end, once again.

But that dawn... It was not just once again, was it? That morning she was pushing the envelope. That morning, she was going to get up there, farther and upper than she had ever been!

She smelled the morning's air, once more. It felt different that morning. Small ice crystals, the cotton taste of the clouds a little bit sharper... She swallowed the little bit of fear that just had came to her mouth and adjusted her Nightmare Night's modified helmet, closing the valve in order not to use, yet, her air reservoir.

Cloudsdale was silent and fluffy and boring around her. The weather factory was still closed and all the pegasi were asleep... Everyone under the last moments of Luna's watch.

Except her.

Nopony knew she was there that morning. Not even Luna, she deeply hoped, for she didn't want anypony else to know. They would have talked her out of it, for sure. It was the sane thing to do, wasn't it? To convince her not to do it. Not even trying it. Not even...

See... What would happen... What was up there...

Finally, she felt her wings opening and the familiar, recognizable, comfortable, impulse of taking off, the air around her body, the wind in her ears; the runway, the first clouds behind, down, where nothing interesting, without her friends at least, would ever happen.

How many times did she have thought about doing that? After joining the Wonderbolts, a lot of them. Being a Wonderbolt was awesome, but deep inside, around her heart she had felt something growing bigger everyday.

Kind of a hole.

Because, after being a Wonderbolt, what else could she do? She had to learn a lot yet, of course: being a Wonderbolt was as hard as rewarding. She didn't feel bad for achieving what she always dreamed of. She still wanted to be one of her heroes. She felt happy and grateful, everyday. But the hole... That hole close to her heart...

It just kept on growing. No matter what.

Until one morning she made herself a silly, simple and small question.

'What was up there? '

* * *

Deep in her thoughts, she started ascending faster and faster, flapping with all her strength. Around her, the skies, her home, all she ever loved. And up there... Up there... What was up there?

She took a breath once more, the cold and the breeze filling her lungs harshly, as it should be, with every hoof ascended. It would be colder, every new flap, every new step up, the lack of air would try to break her.

But she wouldn't let it break her, would she? She won't let that happen! She was not going to fail so easily! She was going to arrive. She would arrive!

She wanted to know.

She had to know!

What was up there? She had to see it with her own eyes.

'Eventually, you'll get colder and colder, fillies. You will feel it. A gentle voice in your ears, telling you "that's it". Telling you that you have gone too far. Too far from home. That it is too dangerous to continue. That's the time. That's the time you'll have to come back, to go down. A little bit longer and the water in your wings will freeze, you will lose lift and what is worse: the air around you will be thin and poor and won't let you think properly. And you will faint. And fall.'

Thinking properly, remembered Rainbow with kindergarten lessons resonating in her head. Was it thinking properly even taking off?

She found herself wandering in dumb thoughts, upper and upper, and the voice she was waiting to hear finally arrived. 'Time to come back, little filly'. 'This is the altitude when you return. '

Well, Rainbow thought.

We'll see about that!

She opened the valve, and breathed the new air, feeling instantly better. She just had to continue a little longer. After ten layers of clouds, that one, up there... Well, that was not the one, but that other, up there, that one had to be the last!

Flapped, and flapped and flapped, pain in her sides, pain in her wings. She barely could have sustained flight! But she had to! She had to ascend!

The effort was depleting her air reservoir. She didn't need to check the indicator to feel, finally, the lack of new air. 'Ok, dumb pegasus. Now is the time. It's time to come back', said the voice.

But she didn't want to.

One last effort, with her last energies. She barely managed to pass the last cover of thin, weak and extended clouds, gravity trying to bring her down.

A little bit more. C'mon! C'mon! She was almost there! She could feel it!

After the last desperate flap, exhausted as she was not able to remember, the sky darker and darker, the blue lost long ago... After all that, she saw it. She finally saw it and cried, silly filly, at the immense blackness above her. The immense, beautiful, scary and infinite blackness above.

And then, she fainted.

* * *

The pain, the air, the sickness woke her up.

She was falling, without control, full stall, lost attitude, a hurting whistle in her ears, the blood inflating her head as one of Pinkie's ballons. The helmet was not there, the reservoir was not there. Her wings... They didn't respond.

They were frozen!

She managed to reduce her roll rate, managed to look down across the colorful-mad spiral of blur around her. She was going right to the ground, the Everfree Forest a couple of miles to the East.

With a gasp of fear she understood she needed the trees.

She woldn't make it other way. She was going too fast! Too uncontrolled! She had to... Try to... Stop!

In the violent effort for controlling her trajectory, she felt her right wing, ice covered, breaking as a tiny splinter.

The pain flooded her eyes and filled her mouth.

She focused in her breath.

One, two, three... She was gonna make it. She had to make it! She had to! She had to...

She had, she thought with no doubt, no remorse or clue why, to see that black sky again.

Fast fall, fast glide. Very fast glide... Or... Maybe... Half glide...

Not gliding at all! Oh my...!

\- IIIIIIINCOOOOOOMIIIIIING! -she shouted as she entered the canopy of trees, with a mix of bone pain, the alarmed sounds of birds and animals running for their lives and the crack of the world around her.

* * *

\- Rainbow! -she heard, far away.

\- Rainbow Dash! -she heard again, across the blackness.

Rainbow came back to her senses again, dazzled, disoriented, in never-ending pain. She had to be on the ground, she thought. She felt the grass under her back and finally the world stopped around her. It was Scootaloo. It was Scootaloo's voice. What was Scootalo doing there?, was the first thing she thought.

The second thing was the realization that she couldn't open her eyes.

For... Some reason... Not even move. The smell... The sounds... She was still in the Everfree Forest, that was certain... After the crash...

\- Rainbow Dash! Please don't move! -Scootalo begged-. You are... You look like very bad hurt!

\- Scoot? -Rainbow was able to pronounce-. What are you doing in the Everfree Forest?

\- I follow your cone! -said Scootalo.

\- Cone? What cone?

\- Your Sonic Rainboom! -shouted Scoot, a mix in her voice of excitation, blind admiration and deep fear-. It came from so high! I've never seen something like that! You were so high and were so fast, the Rainboom has become just something like an inverted ice cream cone! I know it had to be you! I followed the cone and then the broken trees and then the... You know... Utter devastation of your crash landing...

Rainbow growled. Mainly because of the pain, but also realizing that her hopes for a discrete test flight were gone. Well, she thought. First things first.

\- Scoot...

\- Yes, Rainbow Dash?

\- Can you... Can you go and look for Zecora? Will you do that for me, please?

\- Yeah, of course!

\- And... Scoot?

\- Yes, Rainbow Dash?

\- Could you tell her that I really, really, really need to get to the hospital?

\- Sure thing!

\- Thanks... Scoot... -said Rainbow Dash before fainting again.

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC AND END OF CHAPTER)

* * *

Note from the Author:

A lot of wrong grammar edited. "Came" is the past form for verb "come"... I'll try not to forget that. :)


	3. C2 A friend in need

**Chapter 2.- A friend in need**

\- What in the name of Equestria were you trying to prove! -Twilight exploded-. What were you thinking, Dash!

Twilight kept on angrily mumbling about responsibility and maturity and the importance of thinking things through. Meanwhile, Rainbow tried hard not to feel bad for her friends. She was trapped inside a full-body-itching-rigid-uncomfortable white cast from neck to hooves (including wings), over a hospital bed. Not the first time, to be honest, but totally not the best one. Outside the room's window, a yellow and warm noon started to fill the sky. She was going to have a lot of that room for the next two months, she realized. After that, doctor Horse have estimated at least another month for rehab.

Applejack wrote down the right distances after picking up her measuring tape. She had offered to work out something in wood for Rainbow to hold some books on to read. Pinkie had expressed her joy about Rainbow not being dead after all and Rarity, with small tear tracks ruining her make up, was trying her best to calm down Twilight's overreaction.

Fluttershy was silent as usual at the other side of the room and, surprisingly, not emotional about the ordeal at all.

I have scared them to death!, Rainbow thought mortified. She found she deserved one thousand Twilight-talks like that one. But...

\- Look... I'm sorry... I just... It just didn't feel wrong at the moment! -Rainbow justified herself firmly.

\- Well, sugarcube –Applejack opposed-... It was! It was wrong! You heard Doc...You almost died! You ain't a filly no more. You should have known better!

\- Look... I know... Next time, I'll try to be more...

\- Next... Time...? -Pinkie interrupted beyond surprise, a couple of balloons loosening up to the ceiling.

\- Next time? -Twilight yelled-. There won't be no next time! Are you out of your mind, Dash!?

\- But you guys don't understand! -Rainbow mumbled-. I have to come back. It was... It was...

\- Let me guess, darling -Rarity interrupted, a sad and dry tone in her tongue-. Awesome?

\- No, Rarity! -Rainbow argued-. Well maybe a little, because me of course but... What I meant is **it was beautiful!** It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. You should have seen it too. You would think like me then! And you know what? I'm going to see it again! I will fly up there back again, no matter what!

And awkward and surprised silence filled the room for a moment.

\- Look -Rainbow continued, trying hard to find the words-... I know I could have done better. Not the best of plans, for sure. But you were not there. You don't understand. I'm planning in coming back. And no word from any Princess -said harshly directing her eyeballs to Twilight-, not even from a friend, will talk me down from it.

* * *

A little bit later, Twilight watched the way Fluttershy cried in silence over her tea, at the hospital's cafeteria.

A couple of also worried lemmings came back into her mane, after trying to make her stop crying with no success. She had contained the tears the whole evening, trying not to worry Rainbow, but finally, the five alone around the table, she allowed herself to lose a little bit of emotional steam.

\- Don't worry Fluttershy! -Pinkie tried to cheer her up-. She will forget about that silly idea after a couple of days in bed! You'll see!

\- You don't seem to understand! -said Fluttershy with her softer and most worried voice-. I know her since fillies! She will not back down! The moment she puts a hoof out of that bed, the moment she goes up again! And next time... Next time maybe she is not so lucky! What are we going to do?

Twilight tried a sip of her tea and watched her friends agree with their heads. Unfortunately, she found Fluttershy was totally right.

\- You are right, darling. And I just don't understand neither -Rarity thought out loud-... Did you see her face when Captain Spitfire entered the room and told her she was suspended? She didn't even flinch. She didn't seem to care!

Twilight nodded mechanically. A lot of ponies had visited Rainbow during the day. Even her parents. Captain Spitfire, after confirming what Rainbow Dash had done, communicated personally her expulsion from the Wonderbolts. After that, she had pinned an altitude-record medal on her pillow and went away with no more words. Twilight could not remember seeing a pony before, able of being disappointed and fiercely proud at the same time.

\- To be fair -Pinkie opined-, I bet it was hard even flinching with that humongous cast on. And you heard it too: suspension is temporal... But I get what you said, Rarity. It really seems Rainbow doesn't care about being a Wonderbolt! She just wants... To go back... Up... I wonder why... Who knows?

\- What d'you think Twilight? -said Applejack-. Do you think she's maybe under some kind of spell? An evil, maleficent stubbornness spell or something?

Twilight didn't answer. An evil spell would be a problem quite easier than that. The tone of Rainbow Dash back in her room... No. That was no spell. That was...

...Rainbow Dash.

She had carried herself to the limit, where the void watches from above.

She had ventured herself into the darkness and the abyss and the unknown. And daring, she had stared back to it in awe. The edge of space. Where the blue sky ends and something big, black and scary starts. It was even possible she had arrived to the very Star Swirl the Bearded's limit: the frontier of magic. And instead of being scared, instead of repenting, flinching or coming back to her senses again, she just wanted to go back...

Because she had found beauty in it.

Twilight contained herself. Being emotional wouldn't help her friend. None of them. They need a solution and she could only see one.

\- Twilight? -Applejack said.

\- I think there is not any spell, Applejack. That is just Dash... Being Dash...

All her friends looked at her, their cups on the table.

\- And I think we should help her, girls -Twilight continued while tempering her voice-. She will try to get there again. She will try to get farther and upper next time. And if we don't make sure she's safe along that way, maybe... I do think too Fluttershy is right. Maybe she won't make it back in one piece...

\- What are you just proposing, darling? -intervened Rarity with an alarmed tone.

\- You can't... -Fluttershy gasped-... You can't be serious...

\- Oh! Oh! Oh! -Pinkie understood-. That actually makes a lot of sense! Are we talking about sending Rainbow to space, right?

\- A lot of sense? Can't we just really talk -Applejack said, extremely worried-, about other possibilities?

* * *

The night was almost upon Ponyville. Sun was setting, calmly, while the five friends were continuing discussing on the idea trotting along the lonely main street.

Twilight proposed to go to Canterlot due to the fact that the only pony she knew in all Equestria that had ever been on space (as far as she knew) lived there. Pinkie concluded she was referring to Princess Luna, who else? While Applejack kept on trying hard to convince the others that tying up Rainbow to the bed for the rest of her life was a real option, Rarity proposed to visit that weird colt, a Derpy's friend... Doctor something.

\- Besides having an amazing mane and being dashing and cute, I have heard -Rarity explained a little bit blushed-, he's a scientist.

\- A... What?

\- He makes science, darling -explained Rarity-. Not sure exactly what that is, but Derpy told me once he's interested in not using magic to do stuff.

\- If the Bearded's limit is true, I think that could be very useful too -Twilight nodded, extending her wings-. Great idea! Good luck girls! Find all the answers you can get. See you tomorrow!

Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Applejack watched her left, flying across the night, direct course to Canterlot.

\- Well -Applejack finally accepted-... Here we come again... Not knowing what we are doing...

\- … But doing it anyway -Rarity completed, with a smile.

\- Because a friend needs us -said Fluttershy, firmly.

Slowly, they started walking towards Doctor Hooves' home.

\- Do you think -Pinkie finally asked thoughtful-, that Bearded's limit is some kind of infinite frontier-border with a gorgeous goatee? Because in that case, I totally can understand why Rainbow wants to see that again...

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC. END OF CHAPTER)

* * *

Edit: OMG phrasal verbs... :/


	4. C3 Wernher Von Braunie

**Chapter 3.- Wernher Von Braunie**

\- I'm afraid you are right, Twilight. As far as we know, above the altitude stablished by Starswirl the Bearded's limit, all magic disappears -said Celestia-. If anything crosses that invisible border, its magic ceases working until coming back.

\- I see. But then...

\- How did my sister manage to banish Nightmare Moon to the... Well, the Moon? -smiled Luna.

Twilight nodded respectfully. At the time she had arrived to Canterlot that night, she had expected only to find Luna awake. It turned out Celestia was not asleep, neither. She was ending up a meeting with an emissary from the Crystal Kingdom. At first, Twilight was reluctant to interrupt the meeting, much more to put on the table such a delicate matter as Luna's imprisonment. But Luna didn't seem to care and had explained, kind of amused, that Celestia would be more than grateful in having an excuse for interruption.

Apparently it was an economics meeting.

\- The spell was technically a powerful teleportation -explained Celestia-. Magic surrounds the Moon and Equestria, but not the space between them. This same magic is what allows us to rise the Moon and the Sun. But you know that already.

Twilight nodded again. When Tyrek's attack forced the Princesses to give her all the alicorn magic, she had barely managed to rotate Equestria in the proper rate to ensure a correct night and day times. Without the Princesses' constant adjustments, every night and morning, Equestria would be for ever under the Sun in one side, and under the Moon at the other, since it was a planet with no natural rotation. It was that change what eventually provided appropriate life conditions for everypony.

\- Anyway, Twilight -added Luna, uncomfortable for the first time-... I don't recommend space as worth visiting. The little I remember about the Moon is... About a boring and awful place. Why such interest?

\- Our friend Rainbow Dash seems to have a different opinion -Twilight explained-. This morning she tried to get there by her own means. And she's determined to do it again. If we don't help her to do it safely... We are worried about the outcome.

Luna and Celestia exchanged surprised looks. A polite cough broke the silence, then. It was the Crystal Kingdom emissary. He was introduced before as Zaphire Assistant.

\- I assume we can resume our meeting tomorrow morning your Highness. Your Highnesses -said politely, squaring all of his papers.

Celestia's face turned for a moment into a grin of pure horror. The perspective of continuing the meeting was not, apparently, in her plans. Luna properly hide a chuckle after seeing her sister's expression.

\- Oh, heavens! No! Thanks, no! There will be no need for that my dear, Zaphire. The meeting has ended well -she proclaimed awkwardly-. And now I must go to sleep. Sun doesn't rise on its own!

She was about to exit the room when an idea seemed to cross her mind, stopping her in her hooves.

\- Since Zaphire has to come back immediately to the Crystal Kingdom -explained Celestia-, why don't you go with him, Twilight? I have just remembered about a pony there who maybe can help you to help Rainbow Dash.

* * *

Dawn was breaking outside the window at Hooves' weird and flamboyant workshop.

Rarity yawned again. It had been a good idea to come there for information but, maybe not during the night... That colt... Oh, sweet Celestia! He was relentless, tireless and full of passion! It was a pity he was such... Passionate about all kind of things she didn't find interesting at all...

Applejack and Fluttershy didn't have make it to the dawn: they were totally asleep on the couch, with dusty books as covers. Only Pinkie was able to follow Doctor's lead, in front a blackboard full of chalk writings and numbers.

Rarity was not sure about Pinkie having a cup of coffee in the past, but after that night she was sure she did not want to be present next time she had one.

\- How is it possible! -exclaimed an hyperexcited Pinkie after another sip, a constant and repetitive movement in her head.

\- The same way Equestria doesn't fall into the sun! -explained Hooves again-. The object goes so fast around the planet that it doesn't fall, you see? The forces counter each other. Velocity keeps the object away from falling and gravity keeps the object from going away. That's the reason for the closed orbit. It's all in the math.

Rarity was not very sure about the details, but it seemed Doctor Hooves was convinced about the need of going for an orbital flight. In that way, he had argued, Rainbow could return to the exact point of launch. A sub-orbital jump could take her to the other part of Equestria, with no opportunity to help her if... Well... If something wrong would happen during re-entry.

It seemed to her nevertheless, a low sub-orbital jump was a much more safer option. Specially since it didn't involve that incredible amount of heat able to disintegrate meteors in the upper atmosphere.

\- I love it! Let's go for the orbit! -said Pinkie-. Wait a minute, Doc. How fast exactly are we dealing here with?

\- It depends on the exact altitude, but I would say... For a proper low orbit... In the order of ten thousand miles per hour.

Pinkie fainted dramatically on Rarity's arms.

\- Oh my gosh! -exclaimed Rarity a tired smile in her face-. I think Rainbow is going to love that!

\- But that's bad news! -exposed Pinkie a hoof over her forehead-. How in Equestria are we going to accelerate Rainbow to such a speed?

\- We are NOT discussing the cannon again -protested Rarity in horror.

\- Why not? -argued Pinkie-. It would be a huuuuuughe cannon! Humooooooongous!

\- No cannons, darling. Just lend us the books you talked us about, Doctor, please -said Rarity waking up Applejack and Fluttershy-. I hope you don't mind if we come to visit you another day with more questions?

Doctor Hooves' eyes flooded with tears, his lower lip and chin trembling.

\- Can I... -he said-... Can I just go with you?

* * *

Twilight said goodbye to Zaphire Assistant at the Crystal Kingdom prison's main entrance. It was dawn already. In the nightly way there by train, Zaphire had been able to report her about the pony she was going to visit. Much more interesting than economics! Thinking about visits, she remembered she had to see Flurry, Cadence and Shinning!

After presenting herself to the warden, she was flanked by two guards to a little yard inside the prison. In there, in the cold blue morning, a middle aged unicorn in an orange prison jumpsuit was watering a little garden full of pink zinnias.

\- Those are some gorgeous flowers you got there, sir -Twilight said.

\- I _rrreally_ hate 'hem -the pony answered with a strong accent-. They _vant_ me to take _carrre_ of them as a _parrrt_ of the _prrrocess_ of _rrrehabilitation_. This _ist_ _ein_ _prrrison afterrr_ all, madame.

The unicorn finally faced her, and his calmed face contracted in _surrrprrrise_ (sorry, surprise). "You are a _Prrrincess"_ , he observed with disgust.

Twilight remembered all Zaphire had told her: at the Crystal Empire, during King Sombra's rule, all ponies obeyed. Some ponies, nevertheless, obeyed much more gladly. Wernher Von Braunie was one of them. His vast knowledge in strange and powerful forms of magic made of him a pony of interest for the Empire, in Zaphire words. Twilight could understand why every pony wanted to keep that unicorn busy tending a garden, since, some ponies said, there were hidden plots all across the Empire to bring Sombra back.

Somehow, he remembered her to Discord. Trapped in stone. That didn't have worked out well in the long run.

\- All _rrrulerrrs_ _arrre_ the same -Von Braunie continued, talking to his zinnias-. All _vant_ _morrre_.

\- More?

\- _Poverrr_ -answered Von Braunie-. I _deserrrve_ being _hier_ , _yourrr_ Highness. I _vas_ young and stupid. I am not stupid no _morrre_. I _vill_ not give _mor_ _r_ _re_ _power_ _r_ _r_ to anypony. Not even Celestia.

\- I don't want more power -Twilight shrugged-. I just want to... Send a friend to space. I've been told maybe you can help me.

Wernher Von Braunie stopped watering his garden.

\- _Vhy_ would any _Prrrincess_ _vant_ that? -he said.

\- Because my friend wants to. And she's a good friend. And I want her to be safe.

Then, Von Braunie laughed softly. For Twilight, it looked like some kind of forgotten and rusty smile.

\- Do you _prrretend_ to send _herrr_ to space and be safe at the same time? -he smiled-. I see... And, may I ask... How do you plan to do that?

\- Carefully? -answered Twilight.

Von Braunie smiled again.

\- You _arrre_ a _strrrange_ _Prrrincess_ , indeed.

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC. END OF CHAPTER)

* * *

Edit: Breaking word limit to apologize! Sorry. I must said Zaphire Assistant doesn't belong to me. I first read about him in "La Guerra en las Sombras" by Volgrand and I immediately fell in love with the character and the delicate political situation at the Crystal Empire described in that fic.

As you may have noticed, Von Braunie is more than a little homage to Wernher Von Braun. It won't be the last reference to the Space Race but I must warn, Pony Space Program is a creature on its own, not a historic reenactment. If you want to know more about the Historical Space Race, I recommend the BBC documentary "Space Race", with 4 episodes. Thanks for the views! :)

Edit2: OMG! English verbs... The horror... :)


	5. C4 Cousin Sergei

**Chapter 4.- Cousin Sergei**

Twilight collapsed over the massage table at Ponyville's Day Spa.

In less than forty eight hours she had had to deal with a royal audience, two long haul trips and finally, an immense amount of paperwork to get Von Braunie's parole effective. She hadn't spent enough time with Flurry Heart, even less with Cadence and Shinning Armour! They were totally busy with their own royal duties to deal with an unannounced visit.

Twilight didn't feel any better at the Spa, even with Quake's hooves massaging her back. After Von Braunie's legal status issue, and seeing Cadence and Shinning dealing with "real" royal stuff, she suddenly felt sending Rainbow to the space was a little like... Kind of frivolous...

\- So, all considered -Pinkie ended her exposition up from the hot tub-, I think we should go for the orbital flight.

\- Yes, well, darling -Rarity added behind two cucumber slices-: preparing us for that, will prepare us for anything; but I am not sure at all about that reentry issue. It just seems too dangerous!

\- Everything is dangerous! -Applejack continued-. She's going to need air up there! She's going to need something powerful enough to make her faster than anything! And, on top of that, we have to make sure we reach a correct injection trajectory which I'm not sure still what it is but, as everything else, if it fails, Rainbow Dash certainly dies!

\- We even haven't solved yet what are we going to do after... You know... The Bearded's limit -Fluttershy added from her chaise-longue-. Even if we put her up there with magic and enough velocity, we are going to need something else to carry her further. You heard Doctor Hooves... Since the Bearded's limit is at 100 kilometers over the surface, we need at least 100 kilometers more of something not magical to put Dash into orbit.

\- What the heck is a kilometer? -Applejack exclaimed.

\- It's an unit of measurement for distances -Fluttershy apologized-. A mile is equal to 1.6 kilometers. Doctor Hooves uses it since it's much more reliable for calculations. You were asleep when he explained.

\- What's wrong with the Pony System? -Applejack argued-. 12 inches make a hoof, 3 hooves a yard, 22 yards a chain, 10 chains a furlong, and 8 furlongs a mile! Every little filly knows that!

\- As far as I see -Twilight finally intervened-, Fluttershy's issue is a priority. Von Braunie's told me he could lift anything up until the limit of magic, but after that we are going to need something else. There will be almost no air, so we can't use balloons, neither we can use wings... Any ideas?

\- Only thing I can think of … -said Pinkie.

\- NOT A CANNON! -the other four shouted at once.

\- Oh, jeezz! Not that, party poopers! -Pinkie protested-. I was thinking in fireworks!

\- Fireworks?

\- Little rockets -explained Pinkie-. But biiiiggeeeeer!

\- Excuse us -Lotus Blossom said, interrupting Applejack's hooficure-. But we could not avoid to _hearrrr_ you.

At that moment Twilight realized how much Spa twin sister's accent looked like Von Braunie's. When asked about it years later, Twilight always would remember what Pinkie had said about the subject: it was obvious East Equestria had a different way of pronouncing 's' and 'th' and, of course, even numbers of 'r'. In the accent from the North of the Crystal Empire, Von Braunie's, the number of 'r' was always odd.

\- You seem in _distrrrress_ -expressed Aloe, worried-, and we _zink_ maybe we know an _experrrrt_ in _firrrreworrrrks_.

\- Would you like to meet him? -Lotus Blossom added politely- It's _ourrrr_ cousin Sergei. Sergei _Chokorrrrolev_.

* * *

Pinkie Pie, Twilight and Spike arrived to East Equestria station and called a cab. An old, small and ramshackled chariot picked them up with no hurry. The grey sky watched them from above in a manner Twilight thought snow could fall at any moment. After the Spa, they had agree to send Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack to elaborate a list with all Doctor Hooves' recommendations. Pinkie and Twilight would do the travel to find Chokorolev. Kind of interested in tourism, Spike had decided joining them: he had never traveled to East Equestria before.

\- I'm not still sure about this being a good idea -said Pinkie-. I mean... I really do think he's the **worst** fireworks manufacturer in all of Equestria.

\- How so? -Spike asked-. Do you know Sergei Chokorolev?

\- Not personally. You see... His firewors never explode in the air! -explained Pinkie Pie-. I saw them in the last Party and Party Bussiness convention at Canterlot. He ended up last in the fireworks contest! That's why I remember his name. His fireworks... Well, they get very high in the air (which I admit is pretty impressive) and then... They let you down by not exploding at all! That is not how a proper fireworks should... You know... Work...

Spike exchanged a surprised look with Twilight. He thought that was exactly what they needed for Rainbow's flight, but since he was not on the loop yet, he decided be silent for a while.

\- Beg you pardon – the chariot driver said-. I could not avoid listening to you. You _arrrre_ looking for _Serrrrgei_?

\- Yes, that's right. Sergei Chokorolev -Spike admitted-. Do you know that pony?

\- You won't find him in _zat_ _adrrrress_ -he informed-. I _betterrrr_ carry you to _ze_ pad.

\- The... What?

\- _Ze_ launching pad. He's about to _prrrrove_ a new _firrrreworrrrk!_

* * *

The launching pad was a dry and cold yard behind an old and grey farm. A numerous audience of East Equestrian ponies have congregated there for the launch, expectant. Nearby the rocket, half a dozen of young colts in similar tracksuits were squatted watching and older earth pony to arrange preparations around the impressive artifact. The rocket was as tall as the farm's roof and it was kept on its hooves by a wooden structure. The bright of happiness for such a magnificent sight, disappeared in Pinkie Pie's eyes the moment she remembered.

\- It's all illusion and hope at the beginning -she said darkly-, until it's supposed to explode in joy and color and fun and then it doesn't and then... It's all shattered dreams...

Twilight and Spike left bummed out Pinkie behind and tried to reach the older pony. He was as big and corpulent as Big Mac, with a grey coat over his natural grey coat. Grey mane. Twilight could not see his Cutie Mark.

\- Sergei Chokorolev?

\- Yes. _Zat's_ me. Please, do not get any _closerrrr_. It's _extrrrremely_ _dangerrrrous_.

Suddenly and violently the rocket exploded at that moment, with an earthquake and a hurricane of grey and red smoke. After a lot of coughing, the smoke cleared and Twilight saw the immense firework rising into the air almost vertically. Chokorolev was totally covered in what it seemed to be red cinder, just as surprised as anypony else.

\- That's an impressive launch! -Spike exclaimed feeling an unexplicable whim for red candy-. How up will it go?

Chokorolev shrugged, practical. He spoke with suddenness but politely, while adjusted his binoculars to follow the ascension.

\- About ten _kilometerrrrs_ maybe, with luck -he guessed-. Not much _morrrre_ to do with candy. At least _wizout_ magic.

\- You say that thing works with candy? -exclaimed Spike.

\- Better _zan_ black _powderrrr_ -he explained-. Not much _betterrrr_. But _betterrrr_ with _ze_ rrrright additives, I _zink_. You see small _drrrragon_... The _secrrrret_ is about mixing _ze_ fuel _prrrroperrrrly_. It has to be hot, but not too much. It has to be _powerrrrful_ , but stable. If done _rrrright_ , _rrrrocket_ gets high and nopony dies. And _zen_ , _everrrry_ pony happy.

Twilight tried to ignore the part about ponies and explosions. That earth pony was direct, maybe a little bit rude, but as Von Braunie's... He seemed... Special...

\- What would you say about reaching one hundred kilometers instead of ten? -asked Twilight.

\- Impossible. Use magic, _Prrrrincess_ of _Frrrriendship_.

\- We were thinking in using magic to get there and then using one of your boring fireworks, sir! -shouted Pinkie, squatted within the launch's audience.

Chokorolev eyes, behind the cinder flooded instantaneously with something that looked like... Happiness.

\- You plan to pass _ze_ _Bearrrrded's_ limit? -he exclaimed-. And going **beyond**?

\- Yes.

\- No pony has _everrrr_ done _zat_ _beforrrre_. It's impossible!

\- We actually were thinking in putting a friend at the top of it -added Spike-. And make her back. Safely.

The rocket opened a big parachute with a boring "pop!" and started a controlled descent. Audience, behind telescopes and binoculars went wild in cheering, while Pinkie yawned, arms crossed, unimpressed.

\- _Yourrrr_ _frrrriend_ must be _crrrrazy_. And you _boz_ _arrrre_ _crrrrazy_ too -Chokorolev sentenced with a smile-. Tell me. How can I help?

* * *

CUE TO MUSIC. END OF CHAPTER

* * *

Edit: Wikipedia search: Sergei Korolev. :)

Edit2: Sergei, not Serguei, sorry. In my defense, russian pronunciation is not easy...


	6. C5 Fluttershy's computer

**Chapter 5.- Fluttershy's computer**

Discord's colours came back after a few moments hyperventilating into the paper bag.

Fluttershy snuggled the rubber squaky chicken once more, just to make him feel better. It produced an awful bagpipe sound, but it certainly made his friend a little less transparent.

\- Thank you, Fluttershy, my dear -said Discord-. I'm afraid I was not sincere when I said I could take it.

Fluttershy nodded. Discord had tried his best. By the time he had arrived to her home for their usual tea party, he was more than eager in hearing about the project. It just turned out...

It was too much Order for him to handle!

Rainbow was still in the hospital, reading and studying and surprised and grateful for all the efforts her friends have made so far. Everypony was tackling their part of the project following Doctor Hooves' recommendations.

It was Fluttershy's mission to develop something able to accelerate calculations regarding trajectories and attitude angles during flight. Not exactly anything she kind of... Really like, but it was the only chore left to assign.

\- How in Equestria did you choose to do that? -said Discord-. No offense, my dear. But it seems a little too much for just one pony.

The complicated diagram occupied the whole living room wall. Registers, memory, lines of communication and hardware procedures were crystal clean defined over meters and meters of parchment.

Fluttershy shrugged while looking at it. Once the recommendations were fixed, she had discovered it was actually not so difficult.

\- Well... You know... I had friends who helped. It's far form ended, though -Fluttershy explained-. There are a ton of little details we haven't sorted out yet. The problem I actually have is...

\- Yes?

\- Why is so that Rainbow wants to get there? -asked Fluttershy clueless-. I mean... She has always been into records and daring feats!... But... In the hospital... You had to see her, Discord! She had never studied in her life! Yet, she just started because she wants to come back there. It could certainly help me knowing why she feels like that!

\- Ahh! -exclaimed Discord materializing himself with a pink cutaway coat, grey gloves and bowtie and a very elegant white cane-. The beauty in the sights! I think I can help you with that! It's actually a must see spectacle!

\- Ohh... Well -said Fluttershy-... Ok, then.

* * *

With a snap of Discord fingers, just as the purple and bright bubble started to rise them both in the air, the music filled everything. Discord materialized for Fluttershy an strange outfit composed of a dressing gown, comfortable slippers and hair rollers in her mane. Then, he just started to sing...

 _Juuuuuust_ _remember that you're standing on a planet,_

 _that's_ _evolving,_

 _and_ _revolving at 900 miles an hour._

The bubble rose fast across Equestria's sky, leaving behind Fluttershy's home, the forest, Ponyville... "Oh, gosh...", Fluttershy thought, "it would be better if I don't look back down again..." Oh, dear! The sky was becoming darker and darker!

 _It's_ _orbiting at 19 miles a second,_

 _so_ _it's reckoned,_

 _the_ _sun that is the source of all our power._

 _The_ _sun, and you and me,_ _and_ _all the stars that we can see,_

 _are_ _moving at a million miles a day._

 _In_ _the outer spiral arm,_

 _at 40,000 miles an hour,_

 _of_ _a galaxy we call the..._

Discord stopped singing unexpectedly right after a rubber-against-rubber like sound ended the music up.

\- What's wrong? -asked Fluttershy surprised-. It was a nice song, Discord. Why did you stop?

\- It was not bad, right? It's strange, though -said Discord touching the magic bubble around them-... We have stopped for some reason...

The rubbery sound appeared again when Discord tried to go further up, with no success.

\- Oh! Of course! -remembered Fluttershy-. We must have found Starswirl the Bearded's limit!

\- What... What is that?

\- Twilight explained us magic is tied down to Equestria. If we are very far away from the surface, it simply doesn't work anymore -explained Fluttershy-. Is actually one of the problems we are trying to solve for Rainbow's flight!

Discord reduced half of his size, his cheeks burning.

\- How is it possible? -he exclaimed with his voice a little less deep, a little bit faster-. First your machine's diagram and now, this... I... I am an almighty spirit of Chaos able to trascend dimensions and realities in order to bring back anarchy, fun and pop references! Never heard about that limit! It can't be! This Bearded's limit can not be real!

But, it was. With every new attempt to transgress the invisible barrier, Discord shrinked smaller and smaller, his ego punched and finally reduced to the size of a cockroach.

\- I'm sorry -said a veeeeery tiny Discord with a veeeery tiny, tiny voice-... I can't... I can't take you any further!

\- Oh! -Fluttershy tried to comfort him-. It's ok. We are pretty far! And look! Night is coming! I have never seen such a quantity of sta...

Discord turned around to see it, intrigued by Fluttershy's expression and sudden silence. He had seen stars a lot of times before, but never so high to be honest, never with so much light. It was... It was actually an impressive show...

\- It's full of stars! -exclaimed Fluttershy, her eyes flooded with joy-. Thank you Discord! You were right! It's a great spectacle you have created!

\- It was not me! -said tiny Discord, his eyes dancing in tears-... This... Was just here... I've never... I just... I just brought us up here!

Discord regretted immediately saying that because as a consequence, Fluttershy looked downwards.

And after doing so, she immediately fainted.

* * *

Fluttershy opened her eyes again and found herself over her couch, in the living room. Thousands of lemming's eyes followed her every movement with silence, caution and concern.

-Are you 'k'? -asked Discord.

Back in his normal size, he handed Fluttershy a cup of warm tea. Fluttershy, feeling still a little dizzy, took a little sip.

\- Yes... It's just... Sometimes I can't handle heights and... I'm sorry, we were like... Reaaally, reaaally hiiigh...

\- You mean -said Discord embarrased with a script in his hands-, like altitude "high", right? I find we were doing very well so far to maintain our rating.

\- Of course! That was what I meant!

\- So we are K?

\- K+! -smiled Fluttershy.

\- Perfect! -exclaimed Discord-. Now, let me see... Do you understand now why Rainbow Dash wants to get back there? I kind of understand now myself! I can even understand why she must pass that unsufferable Bearded's limit! It is an insult! It must be broken!

\- Yes, I understand now -smiled Fluttershy-. And I want to help her more than ever! But... Well, I must admit I'm a little bit overtaken right now.

\- What do you mean? -asked Discord-. And by the way... What is the seven nation's lemming army doing in your living room?

* * *

The unsufferable diagram in Fluttershy's living room had became an intricate mechanism of levers, pulleys, ropes, balls and buttons in her backyard. All of them powered by... Thousands of lemmings!

Discord watched in total desbelief how the boring order in the schematics had become a sublime dancing sequence of chaos, cuteness, anarchy and... Utter beauty...

In one hand Fluttershy had to introduce a packet of punched cards, which she called a "program", and the lemmings just had to take care of the rest! First, they interpreted the holes in the cards and then just had to start to position hundreds of balls in the registers following the card's instructions. Then, they interpreted and operated the values and took care of the calculations following an algorithm specified in a external configuration mechanism, obtaining the result! And those little rascals seemed to be having the time of their lives! Fluttershy had managed, somehow, to turn the job into an amusement for them!

\- We are having problems with reliability -explained Fluttershy-. You see? Color balls atract moths and that can distract the lemmings.

\- I see -apreciated Discord-. Bugs...

\- And sometimes, a lemming hiccups and a step in the sequence is ruined and we have to start all over again!

\- Umhh.. Glitches...

\- But what really, really drives me crazy is that sometimes poor lemmings interpret the punched cards all wrong! -said Fluttershy softly-. Sometimes they read the cards upside down and the hole that is the most significant hole becames the least! And then all the algorithm gets ruined!

\- Oh, sure! -Discord thought out loud-... The endianness... It's tricky...

\- I would appreciate some new ideas -finally sighed Fluttershy with a smile-. Can you help us?

Discord stretched his knuckles along with several pair of new hands.

\- Honey, I thought you would never ask!

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC. END OF CHAPTER)

* * *

Edit: Again (did + verb) must be (did + verb in normal tense)... I have to be more careful. Thanks for the corrections! I also must warn "The Galaxy Song" may not have a K+ rating in its original version, so be warned if you google that up. Thanks! :)

Edit2: Verbs, verbs, verbs... Oh, my gosh...:)


	7. C6 Keystone (I)

**Chapter 6.- Keystone**

Starlight Glimmer opened the music box.

The nice and chilling melody only could mean a thing: Twilight was calling. As she expected, inside the box a little and cute Twilight Sparkle dressed as a ballerina started to spin gently in front of her.

\- Starlight, I have a mission for you -said Twilight right to the point-... That is, if you choose to accept it.

Starlight sighed, a little bit frustrated. Twilight knew contacting like that creeped her out. Also, how did she had managed to bring the music box from Canterlot to her village?

\- Can you just...? Come here to visit me for once as every normal pony? -she growled softly-. If this is about Rainbow Dash being at the hospital, don't worry! Since there are no more new Daring Do's novels, I have colected some fanfictions I have found around... Although there are some quite W.E.I.R.D. if you ask me... I was about to go to Ponyville to ...

\- Fanfictions... What is...? No! Listen! There's no time for that! Rainbow is studying math, and orbital mechanics. She doesn't have time for... that... fan... Whatever that is. Weird you say? What exactly are you...? Nevermind. Just postpone it please...

\- Then... What? -said Starlight, nervous-. The map called? If it's that, please, tell me I don't have to go to Canterlot again!

\- You don't. Listen, please. Carefully.

Twilight told her everything. Told her about Rainbow Dash's flight preparations, about sending her to space, about Chokorolev and Von Braunie... She told her Von Braunie needed for the first stage of the launcher a **keystone** , a special, strange and magical gem that only could be found north in the mountains of the Crystal Empire.

Finally, she asked Starlight to lead the expedition to find the stone.

When asked about why her, Twilight had to admit she didn't quite trust Von Braunie yet. She needed somepony to have an eye on him, specially somepony able to detect warnings: if he was planning some kind of revenge against the Empire or bringing Sombra back, Twilight needed somepony able to notice.

The other two members in the expedition were specialists in their own fields and she could not assign them to watch Von Braunie, neither she could go personally (too busy!) or add more ponies to the travel, since everything had to be kept in top secret.

\- I really would like to go -Twilight apologized-, but I can't, I'm sorry. Right now I'm with Moon Dancer and Doctor Hooves trying to fill the huuuge gaps in the math for trajectory determination. Even with Fluttershy's calculation machine, there is too much to do yet!

\- Fluttershy's calc...? What in Equestria...? Ok, fine I get it. I will go gladly -answered Starlight-. Seems like quite much more relaxing than a friendship problem! What do we know about that keystone?

\- I'm afraid there is no much information -answered Twilight-. Only thing I have found so far is that it's extremely powerful. The kind of artifact an evil wizard would use for... You know. Evil wizard things.

\- Who are the other two specialists ponies? Do I know them?

\- Since we need a 'Rocktor' to find the exact spot, I thought in Maud Pie. She is packing up right now -explained Twilight.

\- That sounds reasonable -thought Starlight out loud-. And quite exciting, actually! I love the idea! Who is the other?

* * *

Starlight had to admit Bulk Biceps was more than useful to the team, but not exactly a very good talker.

They had been travelling for three days now, two of them spending nights in the mountains, and without his unnatural ability for lifting, all the equipment they had to carry would have been impossible to handle just for Maud, Von Braunie and her. For some reason he found the experience rewarding and new, although he was not much fan of something he called "cardio".

\- You _rrrmemberrr_ me an old childhood _frrriend_ of mine -said Von Braunie's the third night, at the campfire-. He _vas_ _strrrong_ , and loved to _excerrrcise_.

\- Did he have bigger muscles than me? -asked Bulk Biceps, kind of alarmed.

\- I am _afrrraid_ he _vas_ not -smiled Von Braunie-. We _verrre_ just little foals. Not big at all.

\- This revelation calms me and makes me feel better. Thank you, Mr. Von Braunie.

\- Just, call me _Werrrnherrr_.

\- Good night, Mr. Wernher -said Bulk Bicepts inside his giant sleeping bag.

Starlight made herself sure that Maud was being fascinated by the rocks inside the magic security perimeter she had set up around the fire. She had heard legends about a place called "Mountain Peak" and she didn't really wanted to know if they were true or not. Trixie had lent her a couple of smoke bombs and other practical tricks she could use if usual magic was not an option. So far, at least, that mission didn't appear to be harder than a weekend trek.

\- You seem _alarrrmed_ , my _dearrr_ -said Von Braunie to Starlight-. Is something _vrrrong_?

\- It's just... I'm a little out of my element -confessed Starlight-. Campfires, and tents and forests... Not really my thing.

\- And _neverrrtheless_ , the _Prrrincess_ of _Frrriendship_ chose you to come...

Starlight looked in the eye of the unicorn. He was smart, she was sure about that. He had to be an amazing wizard; a very dangerous one if Twilight had found him where she had. But, she hadn't see anything wrong with him so far. He seemed... Not dangerous at all, actually.

And nevertheless, all of the time, he seemed to be hiding something. Starlight, a little bit puzzled, couldn't find out what it was.

\- She told you what _arrre_ _ve_ looking _forrr_ , yes? -asked Von Braunie.

\- Yes. A keystone. A gem able to store magic power. A lot of it.

\- It _storrres_ and it _rrreleases_ power too. She told you _vhy_ does she _vant_ it?

\- You promised her to send Rainbow to space with it. Not sure how, to be honest.

Von Braunie smiled.

\- Of all the uses a keystone can have -he thought out loud-, that's the only one _worrrth_ seeing I can think of.

After saying that, the old pony went to his sleeping bag, in silence.

* * *

\- It's here -informed Maud-. I'm totally sure.

For anypony who had just met her, she probably could sound like pretty much indiferent by the subject. Starlight, however, knew her voice that morning had an excitement difficult to hide. The caves in front of them were big and round and not exactly the kind of caves she was expecting at the side of a mountain.

All around them, sun in the sky, the landscape was covered in ice and snow.

\- Yes -said Maud understanding her silence-. There is danger. The mix of limestone, granite and basalt can not explain these caverns. Biological origin. I'm thinking on Tatzlwurms.

\- _Tatzlwurrrms_! -exclaimed Von Braunie, more than alarmed-. I'm _sorrrry_. I didn't expect that!

Starlight detected a subtle hint of worry in Maud's tone. And she had used a plural. Twilight told her once how Cadence and her had a bad time with just one of those worms. In open field. Two alicorns.

\- We have to be quiet -ordered Starlight-. We go in, we get the gem, and we go out. Silently.

\- Tatzlwurms detect vibrations -also cautioned Maud-. We should step carefully too.

\- Why do you know that? -asked Bulk Biceps.

\- Tatzlwurms are the living nightmare of a Rocktor -answered Maud-. Much more henious than Quarray Eels. Eels are easy. I survived in the mouth of an eel for like... Hours. I was studying an emerald jasper. It's about selecting the right point over the tongue. Not wih Tatzlwurms. They swallow you no matter what.

\- _Yourrr_ voice doesn't seem too _worrried_ , my _dearrr_ -appreciated Von Braunie.

\- I am -answered Maud while she entered the cave-. I can identify the paths of feldspar and obsidian that will bring us to the central geode, but I will not be sure if there is a Tatzlwurm nearby. Not really my field. I only can say these tunnels are new... In a geological sense...

\- What is a central 'geode'? -asked Bulk Biceps.

\- Is the place _vherrre_ _ve_ can fin the keystone, my big _frrriend_ -explained Von Braunie's-. It's the gem _ve_ have been looking _forrr_.

\- I've never lifted a keystone -said Bulk Biceps, firmly-. I won't go out without it!

\- Well! -Starlight sighed, whishing for just a friendship problem-. That the spirit, team! Let's go!

* * *

(END OF PART ONE. CUE TO MUSIC)

* * *

Edit: A little bit of pony-adventure! Episode was too long, so I had to chop it down a little bit. In the next part it will be concluded! Mountain Peak references! A scary place mentioned in "Hermanas de la tormenta" trilogy. In Spanish. Worth the read.


	8. C7 Keystone (II)

**Chapter 7.- Keystone (II)**

Maud led them to the central geode, into the heart of the mountain; they found the keystone in there after an hour of careful walk through the labyrinth of tunnels.

There were tremors along the way, followed by misterious and gigantic shadows. The Tatzwurms were rumbling all around, calmly and unsuspicious of the trespassing. Starlight could not be sure about how much time their luck would last, but finally, after finding the chamber, she allowed herself to breath deeper. In there, the light of their helmets revealed a spherical cavity full of gorgeus and radiant crystals; in the middle of brightness and reflections, there was a wild, spiky and multicolored gem, the size of a head, waiting to be collected over a throne of pure diamond.

In that moment Starlight understood its real power.

She felt it, suddenly.

Strongly.

Around her. Inside her. It was... Inebriating... It was... It was amazing... She could feel an infinite source of power; a power she had not felt since... Since the Bearded's scroll... And the map... And that... That was just like a raindrop, in comparison with a wild mountain river!

All the painful rememberances about giving up her will to a despicable revenge, came back as Von Braunie got close to the keystone flanked by Bulk Biceps.

\- It's... Too powerful -managed to softly mumble Starlight.

\- What? -asked Maud.

\- The stone... Its magic is... Too strong...

\- I know, my _dearrr_ -answered Von Braunie, a sad tone in his voice-. I know.

When he picked the gem up, the mountain shuddered, and the silent and asleep Tatzlwurms, roared in hundreds of menacing echoes.

\- What did we just do! -exclaimed Starlight as the world above them started to collapse in dust, rock and darkness-. Everypony look for cover! -she was able to order before it was too late.

* * *

Starlight came back to her senses under Bulk Bicep's chest. All around her, darkness and detached rocks. She understood the stallion had protected from the tunnel collapse with his... Uhhhh... Wow! Up close, he actually had an impressive body.

\- Thanks -she could say.

Bulk Biceps lifted the rocks easily while Starlight lighted her horn on.

\- No biggie -said Bulk-. But we have lost Mr. Wernher. And Rocktor Pie.

Bulk knew answers didn't come to him easily. However, he was sure the central geode had fallen over their heads and it had separated the team. He suddenly felt responsible. The Princess had said he was the _specia-lifts_. And the other two were under lots of rocks, probably unable to lift.

He had to help them.

Lifting was his thing.

\- It's all my fault! -exclaimed Starlight-. I should have known better! Von Braunie has crossed us! This was his plan all along!

\- What?

\- Probably he has already run away with the stone to complete his vengeance! -thought Starlight out loud-. We have to warn the Crystal Empire!

Bulk was confused.

He didn't think Mr. Wernher had crossed them. Before the rocks fall, he had handed him the keystone and he had order him to protect Starlight. He showed the stone to her in his saddlebags. She seemed surprised. He was going to explain he didn't think Von Braunie was evil when shouting and tremors came back from the rock walls.

\- If you hear us -shouted Maud from the other side-, run! We are surrounded by Tatzlwurms!

Starlight looked the keystone and then the wall. No! It was too dangerous!

\- We have to do something! -exclaimed Bulk Biceps, pawing the ground-. They are about to get eaten!

Starlight took the keystone, feeling immediately dizzy. There was no other option!

\- Bulk Biceps! -she ordered-. I need you to put on your shades. I need you to lift me. I need you to lift me and then, I need you to run into that wall!

\- Are... You sure?

Von Braunie's and Maud screams were all the answer he needed. He put on his shades, he lifted Starlight and he run against the wall.

\- OH, YEAAAAAHHHHH!

* * *

A blinding, powerful rainbow burst broke the wall with unbounded power. As a hot knife on butter it opened a tunnel from the central geode to outside the mountain, with a burning, destructive and unstoppable beam.

Maud, not feeling the breath of the Tatzlwurm nearby by inches anymore, opened her eyes to see Bulk Biceps handing his hoof, by her side. Over his back an inconscious Von Braunie and Starlight, breathing wildly, the keystone in her arms emanating a ghostly aura.

\- Come with me -said Bulk Biceps-, if you want a lift.

Socked by the light, the beam and the destruction, the three Tatzlwurms heads were still dizzy and clumsy. Maud accepted the hoof and Bulk lifted her as he run away from the monsters.

\- Keep on running Bulk! -ordered Starlight when they got to the cliff at the end of the tunnel.

Starlight's magic bubble lifted them after Bulk's wings were not able to maintain them anymore. A Tatzlwurm came from the tunnel, in savage anger, and tried to eat them whole. The bubble hold its protection and as result of the frustrated bite, they were projected through the sky miles and miles away from the mountain, landing more or less safely (after a reasonable amount of screaming) over a fir forest.

* * *

\- I am so sorry -Starlight apologized-. I thought you...

Von Braunie's face wrinkled in a sincere smile. He had concusions and, as Maud, he looked contagied of Tatz-flu. Maud was surprisingly fine; she was bandaging a couple of scratchs on Bulk Biceps forearm. Maybe... It was taking her more time than needed, actually. Night was falling over the improvised camp. They would get to the Crystal Empire safely, next morning.

\- You thougth I _vas_ still an evil _vizarrrd_.

\- That judgment was in my mind, yes.

\- _Vho_ knows! -he laughed-. Maybe I still am. _Anyvay_ , it _vas_ my fault to _brrring_ you here. I'm _sorrry_ for that.

Starlight smiled back. All of them were more or less fine and the mission was accomplished. Not a bad day after all.

\- Did you feel it? The _poverrr_ -asked Von Braunie-. Not many _vizarrrds_ had felt it _beforrre_. Much less _contrrroled_ it, like you did. _Imprrresive!_

Starlight nodded. It hadn't been easy. For a moment, she thought she was going to be consumed by it. She didn't think she was able to control it until she realized... She realized she didn't want that power. After hearing that, Wernher Von Braunie smiled sadly.

\- I think Twilight _Sparrrkle_ made the _rrright_ choice with you, my _dearrr_ -he nodded-. The _rrright_ choice.

* * *

Rainbow Dash could finally close her mouth, when Starlight explained the boring part about going back to Ponyville and treating Maud and Von Braunie for Tatz-flu.

\- That was SO awesome! -exclaimed Rainbow-. Why does it seem I'm losing all the fun?

Rainbow Dash was still in the hospital casted from neck to hooves and her bed was a complicated mess of books, parchments and numbers. With her black reading glasses on, she looked like a top class bookworm.

\- Well! It certainly was thrilling -admited Starlight-. Not sure I want to repeat the experience of facing Tatzlwurms again, though.

\- Thanks for the Daring Do's stories too... I was going crazy with so many numbers -added Rainbow Dash-... And thanks for... Risking your life...

\- I just made my part as everypony else -Starlight said-. Now Von Braunie has his keystone, he and Chokorolev will be ready to conduct tests in that thing Twilight calls "the launcher".

\- Yes -Rainbow nodded a little gloomy-. It's supossed to launch me! Not sure yet how.

\- You don't seem very happy about it -realized Starlight.

\- It's not that -smiled Rainbow-. I'm really looking forward to it. It's just...

\- Yes?

\- My friends! They are so busy because of me... They are doing all this for me! Even Twilight sent you to a suicide mission!

\- I'm sure -Starlight smiled awkwardly-... I'm sure she was not fully aware of the dangers... I hope...

\- What I'm trying to say -confessed Rainbow- is I've been thinking. I've been very unfair with all of you! By being stubborn about wanting to come back up there, I really have caused a lot of problems. I'm kind of having second thoughts because of that...

\- You didn't ask for our help! -argued Starlight-. It's just things friends do, you know? And if you want my opinion, if you back down now, all our efforts so far will be worth nothing!

\- You really think so? -asked Rainbow, full of hope.

\- I really do.

\- Well... I'm actually glad to hear that, you know? -smiled Rainbow-. Because I still really want to come back and see what's like up there.

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC. END OF CHAPTER.)


	9. C8 Requirement compliant baking

**Chapter 8.- Requirement compliant baking**

Applejack studied the three different mockups like somepony had put a thistle under her hat.

Winona, by her side, tried again every one of them not looking convinced neither. Applejack could not blame her: every one of the three different doghouses were flawed by different reasons.

She had choosen to make doghouses because Pinkie wasn't sure yet about the capsule's final shape. And of course, eventually, any of the mockups could be used by Winona since her old doghouse was in very bad shape.

But not even Winona seemed to like them.

For the first one, Applejack had employed wood and tar. Using tar to fill the gaps had made the doghouse waterproof, but unfortunately not airtight. Next, she had tried using rubber instead of tar, but she had found not even the best wood could withstand high structural loads. The rubber, however seemed a pretty good idea for keeping the air inside.

They say third time is a charm, but unfortunately it wasn't true for Applejack third mockup! She had used steel and a quite generous amount of blowtorch. That house, she found, could withstand a tornado but unfortunately was... Too heavy!

Hooves' requirements said clearly that Rainbow's space capsule should:

a) withstand vibrations and structural loads during launch and re-entry.

b) being airtight to keep breatheable air inside.

c) being able to support the heat during re-entry.

d) being as much light as possible.

But none of the materials she could think of was able to achieve that! Only thing she hadn't tried yet was rocks and Maud Pie, still recovering from Tatz-flu, had already not recommended it! She had talked about a stone called bauxite which had a light metal inside, but she didn't was sure of the process to extract it so... It was another dead-end!

Applejack knew Pinkie Pie was not having fun either. She was in charge of developing the heat shield and finding a proper shape for the final "space capsule". The idea was, since they were both earth ponies, they could find something "magic-free" able to keep Dash alive beyond the limit.

But it wasn't easy, darn it!

What was she going to do? Twilight had scheduled the first test for the launcher in a couple of weeks! The mockup should be ready by then!

\- The both of you look very tired -observed Granny Smith when she got into the barn-. Why don't you come to eat a piece of applepie?

* * *

The final piece of applepie was devoured by Winona.

\- If I knew you both were so hungry I'd have made much more -smiled Granny-. How long have you been in the barn, girls?

Applejack was surprised by the question. Actually, she didn't have counted the hours. Despite the worthless efforts, she had actually had quite a good time building dog houses.

\- I'm sorry Grann -said Applejack-. I guess I've forgotten my chores...

\- Don't worry 'bout that child! -exclaimed Granny-. What you're doing seems important. I'm sorry I can't help. Although ...-she remembered-. I can feed you more to give you strenght! What 'bout that?

\- I thought there was no more applepie Grann...

\- I think there are chocolate chip cookies in the jar, at the pantry.

Applejack found the jar, empty. "That gluttonous unconsiderate Big Mac!", she grunted. However she found something else, wrapped in napkins.

\- Sorry Grann. No cookies. But I found this. What is it?

It was some kind of unleavened loaf, or some kind of tortilla, maybe. Granny Smith laughed. It was a present from the last Apple Family Reunion, from cousin Tall Jonagold.

\- I'll bring milk -smiled Grann-. It can be eaten, of course, but it was actually a joke from old Tall.

\- What joke?

\- You'll see... Your father and Tall were always together whenever he came to visit Ponyville -explained Grann-. They were trying to win their cutie marks all the time when they were foals!

\- Apple Bloom will be happy to hear that! -smiled Applejack.

\- The thing is... They decided to try baking one day! And they made bread! Tall's mother lost a tooth that evening! -laughed Granny-. After your father passed away... -she added gloomy-, Tall always brings a couple of these every year, you know... We always laugh remembering that day with your father... I'm sorry -said Granny Smith, concealing her eyes-... You can eat some if you use some milk. They taste good once they're soften. Too sweet for bread if you ask me!

Applejack smiled and tried the bread. It was light and hard and it took an eternity in milk to make it edible. Granny was right, though: it tasted sweet and pretty good but... Dry... Holly Molly! Dry it was the toughest, hardest and meanest thing she had ever...!

\- Granny! You are a genius!

* * *

It was crazy.

It was crazy, right?

Applejack run to the barn and put a piece of bread in the vise. She turned the lever to press it longwise with all her strenght and... And... What in Tarnation? It dented the vise!

Test after test, her father's and Jonegold's unleavened bread passed it. It even seemed airtight! How it was possible? She had to be sure about being airtight: she had to build a mockup out of it... Now... How to build a doghouse with bread? She only needed a mold!

It took her the rest of the day to end a proper cast in steel and two more to build an oven able to fit it. In the meantime, she received the letter from cousin Jonegold with the recipe. With a little help of Pinkie Pie and Apple Bloom, she was able to end a doghouse a week earlier. Thanks to the steel cast, it even had stringers for extra toughness! It was light, it was hard and... It even smelled really nice!

\- Now what? -asked Pinkie Pie-. Do we... Eat it?

\- No!

\- But Winona is licking it! -whinned Pinkie-. Can I at least taste it?

Applejack tied poor Winona away from the new doghouse. It needed to dry well under the sun to adquire full toughness. And varnish to keep moisture away. She handed poor Pinkie one of the slices of bread, which she enjoyed as a lollipop.

\- Time to try if it's airtight -smiled Applejack.

* * *

A week later, Von Braunie put a zinnia inside the doghouse.

Applejack yawned before closing the rubber sealed door, which everypony was naming "hatch" for some reason. She connected the pressure gauge and wrote down the value.

\- What was the hawaiian pony figurine there for? -asked Applejack descending the ladder.

\- Good luck, of _courrrrse_ -said Chokorolev from the ground-. We _arrrre_ going to need it.

Applejack shrugged. She was too tired to argue. That was the third bread doghouse she had baked that week (lots of adjustments needed!), and after finishing the delayed work at Sweet Apple Acres, she was exhausted.

It had been quite a relieve seeing "the launcher" that morning. Made in wood and paperboard, it wasn't taller than a grain silo, with its base ending in a thing that Von Braunie called "nozzle". Chokorolev's two enormous fireworks were on its sides. Overall, it seemed an awfully improvised set and the dog house at the top of it wasn't even the weirdest thing.

The launching pad wasn't far from the Everfree Forest. The plan was recovering the "stages" at the lake with a vertical "launch". "Whatever", thought Applejack. She walked off from the pad and sat side by side with the three bragging Wonderbolts who have came to see the launch. Nopony else was around. "Better that way", she thought closing her eyes.

\- Rainbow Dash is going to be inside of THAT? -said Blaze.

\- I told you -answered Fire Streak-. Spam in a can...

\- If Rainbow dares to get into that -laughed Misty Fly-, she's gonna prove herself braver than I thought!

Applejack sighed.

\- It is a test, ok? -she tried to explain to the pegasi-. It's not supposed to even work! We are here to see what can be improved, so be constructive y'all.

\- Improved? Really? -smiled Blaze.

\- I mean... It really stands up. That's something! -laughed Misty Fly again.

\- Spam in a can... -repeated Fire Streak.

A powerful, loud and unexpected roaring made those carper pegasi shut up their mouths.

Twilight, Von Braunie and Chokorolev had activated the launcher.

At that moment, Applejack remembered the hawaiian pony figurine. And the zinnia. And that Winona's blanket that for some reason was there even if she... Had... Taken it from... Home... That morning...

Where was Winona?

\- Winonaaaaa? -called Applejack looking around-. Wiiiiinooonnaaaaa!

Applejack looked with sheer terror how the launcher, a powerful blast of rainbow light, ascended into the air in might and fury.

\- Oh, no! Oh, no! No! NO! WIIINOOOONNAAAAAAA! NOOOO!

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC. END OF CHAPTER)

* * *

Edit: OMG! It's Winona! No Ramona! I'm so sorry...!


	10. C9 Winona's daring rescue

**Chapter 9.- Winona's daring rescue**

\- Make her come back! -shouted Applejack galloping towards the launching pad-. Winona is up there!

Twilight felt her heart stopped for a moment. In the trench, side by side with Von Braunie and Chokorolev, she saw Applejack possesed by horror.

\- _Vhat_ do you mean _Vinona_ is up _therrre_? -asked Von Braunie- _Vho_ is _Vinona_? The doghouse?

\- NO! Winona! She's my doggie! She's my pupper! -Applejack said in tears-. I think she's up there! I saw her blanket! I didn't notice! I can't find her! She's up there, I'm sure!

Chokorolev put down his binoculars and took off his hat, in duel. " _Poorrrr_ _zing_ ", he said looking at the sky.

\- We will all vanish _wizout_ a _trrrrace_ -added the earth pony with the gloomiest of tones.

\- YOU BET SOME OF US WILL, IF YOU DON'T BRING HER DOWN SAFELY! YOU HEAR ME MISTER? -she shouted.

Twilight tried to calm Applejack down.

\- We'll make her come back safely! -she said-. Now... Are you sure she's up there?

\- YES! Her blanket was there. I didn't notice! I was too tired and busy attending to the coupling procedure! I saw the blanket and I didn't notice! -she cried-. It's all my fault! Can you teleport her here or something? Please!

\- Impossible -explained Von Braunie-. The keystone's magic field is too _poverrrful_! She can _vait_ until the _firrrst_ stage ends, I guess?

\- _Ze_ timing is _carrrrefully_ planned -remembered Chokorolev-. Once _ze_ _firrrrst_ stage stops and _ze_ keystone is not a _prrrroblem_ _anymorrrre_ , _ze_ _rrrrockets_ will activate.

\- Say what? -said Applejack.

\- _Yourrrr_ doggie will be beyond the _Bearrrrded's_ limit! -explained Chokorolev-. No _teleporrrrting_ _zere, neitherrrr_!

\- What about a remote-presence spell? -asked Twilight.

\- A _vat_? -exclaimed Von Braunie.

\- First things first! -Twilight ordered-. You have to check if she's there. And calm her if so, Applejack.

Applejack was about to ask how, when Twilight focused her horn on her, and last thing she saw before closing her eyes was a violet and blinding magic beam.

* * *

Applejack opened her eyes. She was there! She was inside the doghouse! Everything was shaking and roaring and looked like 'bout to break apart! Why did everything seem bigger? Nevermind! She could even take Winona and jump! Twilight would teleport them to safety! They would probably be watching from the ground!

\- Winona! Winona, sugarcube! It's momma! I'm here!

The trembling blanket suddenly stopped and Winona's head popped out. Applejack saw her coming...

...Gigantic!

"I am the hawaiian pony figurine!", she understood. Twilight had just teleported her presence!

\- Easy! Easy girl! -she laughed when Winona's tongue licked her from hooves to hat-. Stop!

Winona sat in front of her, her wagging tail shaking as everything else inside the doghouse.

\- You are a good girl! You are a good one! Now, listen! We are going to bring you back home, but you have to be a brave doggie, do you undestand?

Winona barked happily.

\- That's it! -she said trying to think-. Now, look! I'm not going to be a figurine for much longer, sugarcube! Don't be afraid! We will take you back! I'll come back and I'll...

The shaking and trembling ended up for a second and immediately after that, a powerful force took everything against the back wall of the doghouse.

\- The limit! -Applejack heard Twilight saying-. She's beyond the limit!

When Applejack opened her eyes, she was again in the pad.

* * *

\- Send me back there! She's alone and afraid! -Applejack demanded.

Twilight tried to think.

\- How much time do we have? -asked Twilight, looking at the hourglass.

\- It was _zought_ as a suborbital test -thought out loud Chokorolev-... _RRRRockets_ will _worrrrk_ full time, but trajectory is almost _verrrrtical_... I assume 3 minutes tops _forrrr_ engine shutdown. And other 3 minutes _forrrr_ _rrrreentry_ into the limit.

\- So we have 6 minutes?

\- The capsule may _entrrry_ the limit back in 6 minutes -continued Von Braunie, eye on his telescope-, but that's like one _hundrrred_ _kilometerrrs_! _Brrreathing_ is possible only much _laterrr_ and so is flying! Doghouse _vill_ _rrreentry_ supersonic... Maybe one minute _morrre_.

\- What do you mean supersonic? -exclaimed Applejack-. The doghouse doesn't have a heat shield yet!

\- The heat _vill_ not be a _prrroblem_ -explained Von Braunie after a second-. It _vill_ go not so fast, and not so high. Now that I think about it, the best option is maybe _vaiting_ until _parrrachute_ opens! Maybe _yourrr_ doggie is _vell_ _afterrr_ all?

\- _Parrrrachute_? -exclaimed Chokorolev alarmed-. WHAT _PARRRRACHUTE_?

Twilight teleported immediately in violet sparkles when everypony, without words, remembered the test didn't include a parachute in the mockup capsule.

\- _Vhat_ is she doing? -mumbled Von Braunie, a terrible fear in his voice-. She can't _teleporrrt_ without seeing! She plans to... To... Get in...

\- It is... It goes too fast! -mumbled Chokorolev-. It will also be tumbling! It is impossible!

Applejack understood when she saw the faces in front of her. Twilight was about to risk her life for Winona. "¡No, no, no!", thought Applejack. It was suicidal! She was going to lose both Winona and Twilight!

Applejack contained her tears. Twilight needed help. More than help, she needed somepony able to stop her! She went back to the Wonderbolts seats as fast as she could.

Von Braunie was astonished beyond comprenhension.

\- She's an _Equestrrrian_ _Prrrincess_ -he thought out loud-... And... The dog... It's just a... Dog...

* * *

Twilight waited for the doghouse to descend, six thousand hooves over the Everfree Forest's lake. She could not flap higher, she couldn't barely breath, but she needed as much time, as much altitude as possible: every second was critical. She saw it coming from up above after its powerful Rainboom cone. It was intact, but tumbling and shaking without control! Poor Winona!

She breathed slowly, closed her wings and started falling to level velocities as much as possible.

She only had one shot.

And she took it.

Violet sparkles filled the air. Her eardrums, popped. She felt the nausea and the violent and uncontrolled spin and before fainting, she was able to take Winona in her arms and think, "out of here!"

* * *

Three shades of blue, fast as lighting, flew by the Everfree Forest lake.

Three shades, coming down, from the sun, confused by the wreakage of the launcher's components falling from the sky.

\- There! At your six! FL 10! Falling! Falling! Falling! -exclaimed Misty Fly-. You two for the Princess! I'll get the dog!

\- WONDERBOLTS! -shouted the three pegasi at once-. GO!

It took an 9-g maneuver, a heavy turn.

The kind of maneuver all pegasi learn not to do, not even try, because all of the blood goes to the wrong places and silly pegasi who try, faint and fall.

But she was their Princess.

And she was falling.

And they were Wonderbolts.

* * *

\- Twilight! Twilight! Sweet Celestia! Please wake up! Please! Please! Please! Tell me something!

Twilight opened her eyes, feeling nausea and headache. It was Applejack calling, her eyes drowned in tears.

\- Something... -Twilight was able to say.

\- Don't move, _Prrrincess_ -she heard Von Braunie's voice-. _Ve_ _arrre_ taking you to the hospital. You have a concussion.

\- You hit your head with something! -explained Applejack-. You passed out and fall! Luckily, the Wonderbolts arrived on time!

\- Winona -remembered Twilight-. Is she ok?

Winona barked, happy again. Twilight felt her tongue licking her cheeks, gratefully.

* * *

By night, Von Braunie recovered the keystone from the EverFree Forest's lake.

As he expected, it was intact. Chokorolev was waiting at the shore, close to the crater the doghouse had produced.

\- It seems just one of _yourrr_ amazing _firrreworrrks_ , has been _recoverrred_ _Mrrr_. _Chokorrrolev_. I hope the _otherrr_ one didn't fall _overrr_ _Drrrragon_ Island –Von Braunie mumbled-. Last thing _ve_ need _rrright_ now is a _varrr_ against _drrragons_.

\- Please, call me _Serrrrgei_ -smiled Chokorolev-. I'm _prrrretty_ sure it didn't. I... I hided a _surrrrprise_ in number 2. Please don't get _angrrrry_ , _Mrrrr_. Von _Brrrraunie_.

Von Braunie nodded. He had saw small perturbations in number two during flight. Tricky pony, Chokorolev. Good at his craft. Number two, or its payload, was probably in orbit at that moment.

\- Call me _Werrrnherrr_.

Next he went to the doghouse an opened the hatch. A "schissss" sound, proved it was hermetic, yet.

\- _Zat_ is a _rrrremarrrrkable_ doghouse! -exclaimed Sergei.

Wernher took what was left of the zinnia then. The hawaiian pony figurine was in the doggie's mouth when she was recovered. Maybe that was the reason (bad luck), the zinnia was almost beyond recover. He took the flower the best he could and planted it outside the crater.

\- You do like _flowerrrrs_ , I see -smiled Sergei.

Wernher smiled back.

\- I'm _afrrraid_ not -he answered-. But I... I think I can see the point now.

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC. END OF CHAPTER)

* * *

Edit: Oh man... So many mistakes. I'm starting to think I use past perfect not in the best way... Sorry about that. I'll try to avoid it. :)

Edit2: Flew... It's flew and not flyed...:(


	11. C10 The art of the space dress

**Chapter 10.- The art of the space dress**

Through her hospital room's window, Twilight could watch the parade.

All Ponyville was cheering on its first inhabitant in passing the Bearded's limit: Winona Apple. Since Applejack was needed to stay with Winona during the event, Twilight had thought for a brief moment she could rest from lectures about responsibility and risking her life. She wasn't so lucky, though, since Zecora just had arrived to visit.

\- What's wrong with you ponies? Heads full of sand! The Everfree Forest, is no place to land!

\- I'm sorry Zecora -mumbled Twilight-. Things got wrong... Fast... But we had to act...

Rainbow Dash, in thoughtful solidarity, had decided to stay a little bit longer. Funny thing was, she had been discharged from hospital that same morning. With the only help of her crutches she tried to calm Zecora down.

\- Two times lucky the ponies were! -shouted Zecora-. Do I wait a third one, to lose a friend there?

\- Look... Twilight maybe pushed the envelope a little too much this time... But it was an accident after all! They have been very cautious so far! -argued Rainbow Dash.

\- I promise we will look for another launching pad -apologized Twilight-. And a better landing zone...

\- Of course you will Princess! I don't talk about that! -protested Zecora-. If you push that envelope further -she said looking the both of them, worried-, are you sure you'll come back?

Not waiting for a reponse, the zebra left the room slamming the door.

* * *

\- She's got a point -observed Rainbow Dash-. There were a lot of less risky choices. You could have teleported the doghouse... Even stopped it!

\- Please Dash! -Twilight begged-. It's been two days of Applejack telling me the same! Every minute! Can't you just... Go home and leave me alone?

Twilight was supossed to stay in hospital for two more days, under observation. Doctors didn't seem to take lightly a concussion, specially on a Princess; although Twilight was still in bed, her head bandaged, she had managed to coordinate all the activities regarding a new launch test.

\- What I'm saying is -proposed Rainbow-... I think we should make procedures.

\- What?

\- I mean... We do it all the time with the Wonderbolts: whenever we do a new routine we imagine scenarios and we plan for failure in advance -she explained-. It's part of the training. When something bad happens, we have a plan already.

\- I see -Twilight understood-. It really could help to write down all the things that could go wrong and plan in advance. It's actually a good idea, Dash... We should put somepony to work in tha...

Sweetie Belle coughed to announce her presence. Neither Rainbow nor Twilight had noticed her so far.

\- I think the Crusaders can help with that procedural thing -offered Sweetie Belle-. But... Can... Can somepony help me with Rarity? Please?

\- Sure! -smiled Rainbow-. Where is she? She didn't came to visit Twilight, right?

Sweetie Belle sighed.

* * *

Rainbow found difficult to use the crutches, but she managed to walk along Sweetie towards the Carousel Boutique.

\- I'm sorry you have to deal with this -apologized Sweetie Belle-. I imagine after two months in a bed, helping my sister wasn't in your plans for the "first thing to do after being discharged from hospital".

\- It's all my fault -explained Rainbow Dash-. It's the least I can do!

Sweetie Belle nodded. She knew technically all of that was Rainbow's fault, but she couldn't forget Rarity had a special ability for drama which needed no special aid to appear. Rarity had been tasked to design a space-suit for Rainbow. Under Dr. Hooves specs, the suit should be able to protect Dash in case the capsule had air leaks. She didn't understood much more, but it looked like quite a task! Because of that, Rarity had been enclosed in her _couture_ shop the last two weeks.

Sweetie Belle was worried. Like a lot. She had never seen Rarity like that before!

\- Sister! -shouted Sweetie when she got into the _Carousel Boutique_ -. Sister, you have a visit!

Rainbow Dash left her crutches close to the door and limped to a chair. The boutique was dark, and silent and... By the look of it, in need of an urgent tidy up.

\- It's me! Rainbow Dash! We are worried for you, Rarity! Is everything ok?

Silence... Until Rarity spoke.

\- Rainbow? Rainboooooooowwwww! It is too soon, my dear! TOO SOOOON!

Raibow Dash felt her spine frozen. Rarity sounded like something out of a campfire horror story. Her voice was as usual, but her tone... Up and down, like sad and happy at the same time. They started to hear an out-of-key humming... 'The art of the dress' song...

\- Sweetie -whispered Rainbow Dash-. You go out now, you hear me? Go and tell the others we need help. Understood?

Sweetie sneaked out carefully, as Rarity's demented humming started to sound louder and louder.

Suddenly she appeared from nowhere, silent as a cat!

\- _Voilá_!

\- What the...!

She was wearing a complicated suit full of laces, kind of a white corset thing, but envolving her whole body and in top of that, the coolest helmet Rainbow had ever saw! It was not spherical, not like a bubble, but following a pony's head shape.

\- It's actually good luck Rainbooooooowww ! -Rarity exclaimed-. You can help me!

\- Can... Can... I? -mumbled Rainbow.

\- Of course, darling! It's time to VACUUM! -Rarity informed, revealing a bell-shaped crystal dome in a corner under a dusty fabric.

* * *

Before Rainbow could say anything, Rarity jumped into the dome. Then she closed what seemed an airtight hatch. From the inside. Behind the helmet and the crystal, her voice seemed far away.

\- I could not run this last test with Sweetie Belle -explained Rarity-. She would have talked me out of it!

Rainbow tried the glass with her hooves. It was hard. It was really hard. Probably there was a vacuum pump at the other size of that hose... Wait... She wasn't planning to... ?

\- Rarity...?

\- You see... First I tried with a scuba like suit... But... It was too risky! -explained Rarity while she activated a lever. A pumping noise started to sound somewhere-. What about if up there the rubber or the fabric tears up? You would loose pressure and you would die!

\- Rarity...

\- And, regarding the air... Not even talking about your mobility, darling! Having pressurized air around your body is not the best way possible to move around! So impractical!

\- Rarity... Get out of there... You're scaring me...

\- If I fail, you die -thought Rarity out loud-. Do you understand? Every little stich has to be perfect! So many tests so far!

\- Rarity... Please!

\- So I thought... She just needs air in the helmet. A supply of air, for her to breath... Do you understand?

\- Rarity, stop!

-... But in her body... She just needs pressure. That's what the laces are for! They keep you pressurized! It's like a full-body corset! No air needed! It doesn't matter if the fabric tears a little! The pressure is still there!

Rainbow understood she was pumping the air out of the crystal bell! She was testing the suit! But she was inside it! It was madness! Rainbow hit again the crystal when she saw Rarity was sitting inside, looking extremely tired.

\- If something goes wrong, I need you to know I'm still sorry about what I did during the Best Young Flyer competition -sighed Rarity, closing her eyes- And... That... I have been... And always shall be... Your friend...

In that moment, the pressure gauge hit rock bottom and Rarity closed her eyes. Rainbow Dash felt her heart stopping.

\- Rarity! Rarity! Come on!

Rainbow Dash limped back to her crutches. Then, she hit the crystal with them, one, two, three times. By the fourth, she saw a crack and hit again, with all her strength, until the crystal bell fell apart with a powerful clatter.

\- Rarity! Rarity! Please, Rarity! -shouted Rainbow-. Don't leave me! Please!

Rarity opened her eyes, slowly, behind the glass. A " _schiss_ " sound filled the silence when Rainbow pulled out the helmet.

\- Don't worry -said Rarity-. The suit worked... It's just... It's just... I'm exhausted!

* * *

With the help of Sweetie Belle, Rainbow Dash pushed the stretcher, opening the swing doors in a total rush.

\- Hurry up! This is an emergency! We need 200 cc's of hydrating cream and a pound of cucumber! -shouted Rainbow through the Spa's door.

\- Sweet Celestia! -exclaimed Aloe-. What has happened!

\- Two weeks, sleep deprivation! No beauty treatment at all! -informed Sweetie Belle.

The twins looked each other in horror.

\- We _arrrre_ going to need hot towels! And a mud bath! -added Lotus Blossom-. Don't worry, _girrrrls_... We've got _zis_!

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC. END OF CHAPTER)

* * *

 **Edit** : Yes, yes. I know. It's Winona Apple! Sorry! :)

 **Edit** : Yes. There's a Star Trek reference. I know. It's so cool :)

 **Edit** : Dear Mexican reader, go to next chapter or post a review, please. :) No matter if positive or negative, but... Dude... What's wrong with this chapter? Why are you stuck in here? :)


	12. C11 Derpy's procedure

**Chapter 11.- Derpy's procedure**

Rainbow Dash tried a new sequence of buttons and levers with no success. As a result, the simulator started to spin faster, adding nutation to the general rotation composition. Instruments became blurry as she breathed deep to maintain conscience. She wasn't gonna make it! She knew when she pulled the last lever to reverse the gyros. With a siren and red lights, the capsule's simulator stopped.

Everything had ended. Again. In failure.

\- And you have died again! -exclaimed angrily Doctor Hooves.

\- It's not my fault! -argued Rainbow still dizzy-. I tried to reverse the gyros! I followed procedure! The simulator is wrong!

\- The simulator is right! -argued Hooves back-. **You** were wrong!

Rainbow faced Hooves' angry stare. Suddenly, the alarm's awful noise stopped and everything went back to normal inside the old warehouse.

\- It's ok! -Derpy said, arriving-. Maybe we've spent too much time here today. Maybe we can try again tomorrow?

\- There's no way things change tomorrow! -Rainbow Dash argued-. Specially since the simulator is faulty!

\- It is not fa...!

Doctor Hooves answer went silent when he faced Derpy.

She saw him closing his eyes and counting to ten, restraining himself. Derpy knew he had gone through a lot: during the last month it had been the simulator tests with Rainbow Dash; but before that, he had been helping everypony in the project: Twilight, Chokorolev, Pinkie, Applejack... All of them! Even Von Braunie needed help in a new support structure for the keystone! Derpy knew Doctor Hooves hadn't have much sleep lately. As a result, he was thinner and his face showed a permanent and harsh short beard.

\- Jessicaaaaaaa! -angrily shouted Hooves into the air-. Jessicaaaaaaaa! Where's that girl?

\- I told you my name is **Cheerilee**! -said the Ponyville teacher appearing with a lot of parchments into her saddlebags-. What do you want now?

\- Can you explain Rainbow Dash why the simulator isn't faulty?

\- No! -exclaimed Cheerilee, exhausted-. I'm tired of your games, Doctor! I should be with my students right now! I'll take no part in this nosense! You! -said pointing towards Rainbow Dash-. You better start thinking what when wrong! And you! -said looking at Hooves-. You better find a way to communicate with the astropony! I am a teacher, for Celestia's shake! Not a translator!

And after that, she walked away.

\- Jessicaaaaaaa? Come back heeeere! -said Hooves following her-. Jessicaaaaaaaaaaa! Don't leave meeeeee!

Rainbow and Derpy watched him left.

\- Astropony? -said Rainbow, surprised.

* * *

\- I didn't know Cheerilee was helping Hooves with the simulator! -said Rainbow-. I thought it was only Derpy!

Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had a synchronized sip of cider at the Café Hay.

\- Yeah -said Apple Bloom-... Well...

\- It turns out Derpy helped us a lot during the procedure's phase -explained Sweetie Belle.

\- With her help we went from a dozen of emergency procedures to... More than six hundred! -added Scootaloo-. All of them, critical. She was a gold mine!

\- Thing is -concluded Apple Bloom-, Hooves needed somepony able to actually solve the emergencies too! Cheerilee was the only one with a degree and enough patience to deal with him, so...

\- Then... Who's your teacher now? -asked Rainbow in disbelief.

\- Substitute teachers -explained Apple Bloom-. Our new teacher name's is Amelia Foal.

\- Is she... Good?

\- She's awful! -exploded Scootaloo-. She's a History freak! Everyday she makes us to look for information on dates and forgotten events and dusty books! We miss Cheerilee so bad!

Rainbow felt immediately guilty. Involving her friends was a thing, but changing everypony lives was another completely different! Specially little fillies! After her break down, Scootaloo tried to sugarcoat things a little.

\- Well... To be honest, the new coach isn't bad -she mumbled-. He order us to form squares and battle with fake spears. Sounds awful but it's actually funny!

\- Well -added Apple Bloom-, can't talk about the coach, but the new philosophy teacher, Mr. Potrino is... Dreamy.

\- Wait a minute? -refused Rainbow-. Do you study philosophy? You are just fillies!

\- He doesn't teach philosphy, though -corrected Sweetie Belle-. Actually... I'm not sure what he talks about half of the time but he's... So... Handsome...

The three little fillies sighed at once, their ciders forgotten for a moment.

\- Look -offered Rainbow, confused and frightened-... If you want Cheerilee back, you just have to help me. Just tell me how to beat the simulator!

\- You've beat the simulator already! -argued Scootaloo-. It's just that last scenario: "the little forest". It's just impossible!

\- "The little forest"?

\- Hooves designed that scenario -explained Apple Bloom-. He didn't tell us anything. As far as we've seen, you did all things exactly as you were supossed to. No idea about how you can pass.

Rainbow nodded.

\- Don't worry -she said-. I think I've got an idea.

* * *

It was training, of course.

Rainbow broke into the warehouse that night and activated all systems. Once everything was set, she run the scenario and got into the capsule.

It had been a long time since the doghouse. By Pinkie's idea, the capsule looked a lot like a Hershey's Kiss. It turned out, during re-entry, that blunt shape was able to brake and correct missalignments. In the inside, everything was covered on buttons and levers and instruments. Everything was prepared for her to control the breathable air levels and the attitude (the angular orientation) of the capsule.

"The little forest" scenario dealed precisely with an attitude problem. It simulated a missalignment in angles and a failure in one of the reaction wheels that in theory should control that missalignment. Thing was: if Rainbow tried nothing, the capsule spinned out of control! If she tried anything (and she've tried everything so far), the spin just got worse!

She tried, and tried for hours that night.

No success!

As she feared, there was no possible action which led to a succesful outcome!

It seemed, somehow... Rigged!

* * *

\- It is -confirmed Derpy when she arrived that morning-. He told me. And he told me not to tell you, so please don't tell him.

Sun beams started to fill the old warehouse, while Derpy activated again the simulator. Rainbow was exhausted and angry. She felt cheated; but, primarily, she was angry.

\- Why did Hooves put me through this! -she exclaimed-. I've passed all the tests so far! It's unfair!

\- He doesn't want it to be fair -explained Derpy-. He wants you to be prepared.

\- For what!

\- For failure.

Rainbow blinked, trying to understand.

The purpose of the last scenario was to make her fail? That was it? To understand there were sometimes she couldn't make it? That she could... Die? Even if she followed all procedures properly? What kind of sick joke was that?

Rainbow kicked a can, furiously.

\- That's not fair at all! -she screamed.

Derpy finally stopped activating systems and came close to Rainbow.

She understood it had to be hard to fail when someone wasn't used to.

\- It's ok -Derpy smiled-. You see... I don't get things right most of the time. I know it can be hard. But sometimes, it's ok not doing things right, you know? You learn that way. Specially if you got the help of your friends.

Rainbow blinked again, feeling a glorious light inside her head.

\- Derpy, you're a genius.

* * *

\- Are you sure you want to do this? -asked Hooves from the control room.

Rainbow gave a hoof up as answer.

Immediatly, the simulator started to run the scenario. The capsule started to spin, and the reaction wheels inside the mockup simulated the failure. Then, in surprise, Hooves and Cheerilee watched how Rainbow opened the capsule hatch and climbed it.

\- Rainbow Dash! What are you doing?

She started climbing the capsule and went directly to the nose, where the reaction wheels were.

\- Rainbow! -screamed Hooves-. Rainbow Dash! Follow the procedures! That's extremely dangerous!

Rainbow didn't care about Hooves orders. She knew she had few time before he stopped the simulator, so she opened the reaction wheels compartment and broke the wheels free before spinning could threw her away. Then she went back inside and controlled the rotation easily.

She had beaten "The little forest".

Hooves went out of the control room in anger.

\- What did you do! -he screamed.

\- I learned and improvised -she answered, politely.

\- This test wasn't about improvisation! -shouted Hooves-. It was about failure! The point was to make you understand you can't always win! Do you understand?

Rainbow looked him in the eye.

\- I don't believe in such possibility as long as my friends are with me, Doc.

\- You'll be alone up there! Alone! -argued Hooves.

\- No -she replied-. I won't be alone. I'll be with all of you.

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC. END OF CHAPTER)

* * *

Edit: A couple of words, verbs out of place, details here and there. It's important to remember "Jessica Jones" is totally out of rating! "The little forest" is a reference too, of course. I couldn't add Klingon birds-of-prey, but I guess the spirit is there anyway. :)


	13. C12 Risky Evaluation

**Chapter 12.- Risky evaluation**

Rainbow Dash kicked the last shred into the humongous storm cloud. The spongy form changed color from grey to black, and little bolts inside started to form quickly.

\- It's done! -she warned-. Be ready down there!

At the laboratory's tower Pinkie Pie activated the levers that closed the circuit. She nodded to Gummy and immediately the baby alligator started to run inside his hamster wheel to propel the mechanism that elevated the lighting rod.

\- Are you ready Doctor Maudenstein...? -she asked.

Maud sighed. "For the love of a sister", she thought again.

\- Yes... Igor-Pinkie...

A powerful thunderbolt fell then and it was conducted through a circuit, discharging all its power inside the ceramic oven with a blast. Then, a blinding light and the terrorific laugh of Pinkie Pie, her gigantic shadow projected on the creepy stone walls.

\- Finally! -she laughed in madness-. Finally! It is baked! BAAAAKED!

Rainbow Dash glided down the laboratory and watched Pinkie and Maud opening the oven.

\- Who would have tought? -smiled Rainbow-. Tenth time is a charm!

While Maud studied the heat shield, Pinkie looked at it in awe. It had took weeks to finally find the correct process: the exact amounts of sand, Applejack's delicious and vicious unleavened bread and ceramic particles. They all needed exactly the right amount of energy during the exact fraction of time. The result was a perfect rounded shape, a black spherical cap almost crystaline, twenty hooves diameter to be installed at the capsule's base: the final heat shield.

Maud threw away her doctor costume and tried the torch on the shield. Pinkie hopped happily besides it not feeling any warm at all.

\- It is not the same heat exchange mechanism -Maud thought out loud-, but at least it proves it's what we were looking for. Congratulations.

And then, with another sigh, she threw some confetti not really putting a lot of heart into it.

\- Then... It's done! -exclaimed Rainbow-. Everything is ready!

* * *

\- It is! It's done! -Spike exclaimed entering the room-. We have the retrorockets!

\- Then I guess it is –accepted Twilight.

The Six were occupying their seats at the Cutie Map room. Spike and Starlight Glimmer were there too. Even the Cutie Mark Crusaders, with the simulator's last results. Only ponies out were Chokorolev, Von Braunie and Doctor Hooves. While the first two were busy at Cape Cannonboneveral preparing the launch, Derpy had taken Doc away for a rest cure at the Spa, which probably included a good shave.

Twilight looked at her friend's faces: they were beyond exhaustion.

Even the small tasks that seemed got over with, had needed extra work to fill unexpected gaps. Applejack, for instance, had added windows to the capsule's final design and it had taken weeks to finally find a safe solution. Rarity had been refining the design on the suit to add extra-safety. Fluttershy, after solving all issues in her lemming powered calculation machine, had been assisting everypony with their calculations. Last milestone, the heat shield, had been finally solved by Pinkie.

That and the retrorockets. Twilight checked that last item in her list.

\- So... Can I go now? Please? -asked Rainbow.

\- We still... Didn't find a good solution for the communications array -remembered Fluttershy-. You... We will only have two windows with three minutes every ninety to send us messages...

\- Actually three windows -pointed out Spike-. Since Chokorolev doesn't need me anymore, I'm going to stay at Las Pegasus in the tracking station number two. So I guess we go for a three orbits mission!

\- What were you working at with Chokorolev, by the way? -asked Applejack.

\- I can't tell without getting myself into trouble -smiled Spike-, but I can say it involved the last fuel version for the second stage and a lot of manure. Literally. Not metaphorically.

Twilight rised her eyes from the list.

\- It's not only the communications array... There are a ton of things we should check yet... For instance... We didn't try the heat shield in a full reentry. And our last launch was Winona's accident! Since we had to move the launching pad to the Cape, Von Braunie and Chokorolev were not able to make more trials... I think it's too risky yet!

\- Wow, wow, wow! -intervened Rainbow-. I thought we had made that clear girls! You can't put more time into this! I'm not gonna ask for it and I'm not gonna allow it!

\- I am with Twilight in this -opined Rarity-. I think we should launch the capsule empty first. It is your life we are talking about, Rainbow, darling!

\- I'm afraid that's not possible -argued Pinkie-. We didn't solve automatic procedures for attitude control. And the retrorockets activation. If we send an empty capsule in orbital flight, even using timers, we're likely losing it!

\- That's exactly my point! -intervened Rainbow-. We need a pony out there! There's no more time to waste. Applejack! Cider season is about to come, right? You should be in Sweet Apple Acres, helping your family. And... Rarity... How much time you have neglected your new line of dresses for helping me? And Fluttershy! You just told us there are three generations of lemmings living in your house! You all have made too many sacrifices already!

\- I'm sure there is a proper way to deal with all our duties -argued Applejack-... And at the same time, not sending you to a certain death!

Starlight coughed.

\- Since it seems the moment, I must say I've finally tested an emergency teleportation procedure able to bypass the keystone magic field -she explained-. It's not much, but by using it we can be sure Rainbow Dash could survive in case something goes wrong before the Bearded's limit. That's it... As long as she is able to fly her way back...

\- Those are excellent news! -smiled Twilight-. But we won't be able to help her when she is beyond the limit.

\- Oh! C'mon! -exploded Rainbow- You make me feel like a filly with diapers!

\- About the diapers... -remembered Rarity.

\- No! Diapers are not cool! I thought our last conversation about the subject was final! -exclaimed Rainbow.

\- But what about if you get stranded for days? -protested Rarity-. It won't take long to add them to the su...

\- I'll figure that out if that's the case! -argued Rainbow. Then, she sighed-. Look... I've waited almost half a year. I have made you work full time, non-stop for half a year! There's no more time! It's now or never!

* * *

Twilight saw all them left.

Rainbow's point was the winner. Pinkie was right, anyway: Rainbow was going to manage to be launched with or without them, so better being in the helping side. Nevertheless, Twilight had a very bad feeling about that. She closed the door of the castle alone with her...

Apple Blossom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo coughed.

\- Sorry Crusaders! -smiled Twilight-. I didn't have noticed you were there. Do you need something?

\- Actually, we were expecting to talk to you about an issue... -explained Scootaloo.

\- You see... We have discovered an horrible truth about Chokorolev and Von Braunie -revealed Sweetie Belle.

\- What? -exclaimed alarmed Twilight- Is something wrong with them? With the launch?

\- Almost so bad -accepted Apple Bloom-. Thing is, we have discovered they don't have Cutie Marks.

\- What?

* * *

Twilight compared the flanks photos the Crusaders have brought with Von Braunie's prison file. She couldn't be sure about Chokorolev, since he always wore that long coat, but with no doubt for some reason Von Braunie's flank was blank: there was no trace at all of the magic sparks and night sky that formed his Cutie Mark. What did it mean? Should she be worried? Maybe Von Braunie was not the same Von Braunie she found in prison at the Crystal Empire? Somepony have replaced him?

The fillies didn't have answers neither. They had found the photos by chance: Featherweight was tasked with taking photos of everything at the launching pad, and he had managed to follow Chokorolev and Von Braunie. A lot.

Cutie Pox? A spell? Natural causes?

Twilight sighed.

There was a ton of work to be done and the launch was scheduled for the next week. The best approach was to confront them about it but, as Apple Bloom as pointed out, if nothing was wrong and a blank flank was a big deal for a little foal, for a grown up stallion it could be a lot bigger! And, if it was somehow something evil involved... Would they tell the truth?

Too many risks! Too many variables! Too many uncertainties!

She decided to check the stallions work, looking for answers.

She was going to need coffee.

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC. END OF CHAPTER)


	14. C13 All systems go!

**Chapter 13.- All systems go!**

At least, Twilight thought, Von Braunie seemed sincere about the issue.

\- I'm _afrrraid_ I have lost it -he explained, embarrased.

At the hearing of that, while Scootaloo was writing wildly on her notebook, poor Sweetie Belle fainted.

Four days before launch, Twilight had decided to take the Cutie Mark Crusaders to the Cape to finally confront the issue.

\- I didn't know that was even possible -intervened Twilight-. What happened? It's because of the keystone?

\- I don't know if it's possible _orrr_ not _Prrrincess_ -explained Von Braunie almost mumbling-. Only thing I know is one night I had it, and next _morrrning_ it _vas_ not _therrre_. I _vould_ _aprrreciate_ not publicity on the _matterrr_ , younglings.

\- Don't worry, sir -explained Scootaloo-. We're professionals. Cutie Marks are our thing. But you have to understand this is a first for us! Now... Have you noticed something unnusual? Maybe... You have became crafty at something you weren't before?

\- No.

\- Maybe you have became clumsier at other things? -asked Sweetie Belle while recovering.

\- No.

\- Ummhhh - thought out loud Scootaloo-... We knew about replacing Cutie Marks with magic...

\- And the Cutie Pox -remembered Apple Bloom-. Nasty thing...

\- But nothing like vanishing Cutie Marks! -exclaimed Sweetie-. You sure you didn't cheat to get yours in the first place?

\- No! -answered Von Braunie's offended-. I _von_ it _vhen_ I _vas_ a little foal, as anypony else. And now if you excuse me... I have a launch to _prrreparrre_!

Twilight watched Von Braunie's going back to the launching pad.

\- Wow! You call that "diplomacy" Sweetie Belle? -asked angrily Apple Bloom.

\- C'mon girls. We have to question Chokorolev -Twilight ordered.

* * *

\- Well... - Chokorolev smiled awkwardly-. _Truz_ is... I don't have a Cutie _Marrrrk._

\- You mean... Now...

\- I mean all _ze_ time.

Sweetie Belle fainted again.

\- You didn't win your Cutie Mark when you were a foal? -asked Apple Bloom stunned.

\- Yes, little fillies. You see... In East _Equestrrrria_ is not _norrrrmal_ , so _zat_ is _ze_ _rrrreason_ I use a coat _everrrrytime_.

\- There's nothing wrong with no having a Cutie Mark -pointed Twilight out-. Not here, not in East Equestria neither, Sergei.

\- But it isn't normal -added Apple Bloom-. Let's get down to business! How did you know you had to make fireworks in the first place?

Chokorolev scratched his head.

\- To be honest -he said-, I have _neverrrr_ done any good _firrrreworrrrk_. I just was _interrrrested_ in seeing _zem_ going high and _zen_ , coming back. _Wizout_ exploding.

Twilight felt Pinkie Pie's eyes on her... Somewhere... Somehow...

\- Wow! -exclaimed Scootaloo-. All your life without a Cutie Mark!

\- Normally Cutie Marks come eventually -said Sweetie Belle-. The only reason not to come, as far as we know, is because you are not doing what you are supossed to!

\- _Trrrruz_ is when I was a foal -remembered Chokorolev-, I _trrrried_ a lot of _zings_. When I _trrrried_ making _firrrreworrrrks_ , I knew it was my _zing_. But I didn't like to watch _zem_ explode, you see?. I _underrrrstand_ it's what _zey_ _arrrre_ supossed to, but I didn't like it. When you came to visit me -he finally added looking to Twilight-, I knew coming with you was _ze_ _zing_ I was supossed to do.

* * *

Twlight told the Cutie Mark issue to Rainbow Dash that same night.

\- I don't think it's an issue -opined Rainbow Dash-. I know it isn't normal, but I don't see a risk in the mission.

Twilight was saying goodbye to Rainbow at Cape Cannonboneveral. The plan was coordinating everything from Ponyville. From the Cape, only the launch would be supervised. Chokorolev, Von Braunie and Starlight would stay there.

From the villages around the Cape, a good number of ponies would come to see the launch. They have prepared bleachers and seats at a safe distance. Twilight and Rainbow where in one on the steps, alone, only the night and the stars above them.

On the distance, the artificial lights focused on the launcher were brighter than the moon.

\- You would say you don't see any risks even if I told you I think the keystone is going to explode! -grunted Twilight.

\- To be honest -smiled Rainbow-, I'd have to be sure of that before cancelling.

Twlight smiled back. She was indeed the most stubborn pony she had ever met. After sighing, she informed Rainbow that the Equestria's Geographic Society have requested to carry a special camera inside the capsule: it turned out it was a unique opportunity to map accurately a very big part of Equestria. A feature never attempted before. "You had me at never attempted'", smiled Dash.

\- So am I like Featherweight now? -exclaimed Rainbow-. Planetary level!

\- You can take the opportunity to photograph the stars too -Twilight proposed-. Fluttershy says it's actually beautiful.

\- I guess it is -thought out loud Rainbow. She turned her eyes to Twilight, suprised by the silence-. Wait... Do you think I'm doing this for the sights?

Twilight felt her right eyebrow rising. A lot.

\- I thought that was the point all along! -she exclaimed-. You said it was beautiful up there!

\- And it is! But not that kind of beautiful! -Rainbow replied.

\- Would you mind to elaborate on that? -asked Twilight, confused.

\- Maybe when I get back.

Twilight sighed. Again. Rainbow was looking at the launcher with a mix of hope and awe.

\- Have you decided the capsule's name at least? -smiled Twilight after shrugging.

\- No -confessed Rainbow-. It's a hard choice! It has to be something cool enough! Any ideas?

* * *

The launch day finally arrived.

It was a clear morning, both at the Cape and Ponyville. Ponies from all Equestria had heard about the adventure and wanted to share the moment. At the Cape, they filled the bleachers, and the seats, and a meadow nearby. At Ponyville, the ponies that were not involved in the mission, had arrived to the City Hall to see the launch in a magic screen.

The launcher was a magnificent and strange view. The first stage was composed only of stringers an tubes, covered with black and white fabric. The second stage, a very big firework, was ended up by a drop-shaped capsule. Around it, a complicated wooden structure was in charge on keeping everything on site.

Meanwhile inside Twilight's castle, the Cutie Map room have been adapted into a mission control center, with stations (just tables, actually) where Twilight and her friends were trying to coordinate ponies coming and going with parchments, last minute calculations, and weather reports from the pegasi at the Cape.

In order to distinguish the coordinators, Rarity had distributed white shirts among them.

\- And a vest for the Flight Director -she smiled to Twilight-. Not the best of designs, I know, but we were in a hurry.

Twilight put on the vest over her shirt. The chocolate glasses Pinkie have given hours ago were long gone. Everypony was eating them altogether with the peanuts Derpy had brought in bowls. Nervous, as a little foal, Doctor Hooves was here and there cheering everypony up.

Twilight thanked Rarity; then, she checked the clock. No more time for doubts, suspicions and missed Cutie Marks. It was time.

\- Ok everypony! All systems check prior to launch! -voiced Twilight-. Give me a "go" if everything is alright!

Everypony went silent immediately. Twilight checked the magical communicator before talking to the Cape.

\- Launch? -she asked, clearly.

\- Go! -said Von Braunie and Chokorolev at once, from the Cape.

\- LCOMM!

\- Go! -answered Starlight from the Cape.

\- Go! -answered Spike from Las Pegasus.

\- ELS!

\- Go, my dear! -said Rarity.

\- Sensors!

\- Go high in the sky, Flight! -answered Applejack.

\- Trench!

\- We... Have... a go... I think... Flight! -exclaimed Fluttershy.

\- GNC!

\- Go Flight, go already! -hopped Pinkie Pie.

\- Astropony!

The comms were silent for a second.

\- Before saying 'go', I must inform Flight the capsule's has already a name -answered Rainbow, from the Cape.

\- Will it be "Falcon" or "Daring Do"? -smiled Twilight.

\- It will be "Friendship" -informed Rainbow-. And I inform "Friendship" is go, Flight!

\- You have heard the astropony! Friendship is go! All systems go! We are going for launch! -said Twilight unable to control emotion in her voice-. Launch at the Cape, control is yours! Count down! T minus 15!

\- 15! 14! 13! -Matilda started to shout, a chronometer in her hoof-. 12, 11...

The count from ten was shouted by the public, at Ponyville, at the Cape, all over Equestria, breaking their voices up to the sky

When everypony said "one", the keystone finally activated and started to lift the launcher.

And all Equestria hold her breath while seeing the first pony reaching for the outer-space.

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC. END OF CHAPTER)

* * *

Edit: I know "Friendship" is maybe cheesy, but it was the same name John Gleen chose for his capsule. All acronyms and systems will be explained in the next chapters.

Edit2: Lots of mistakes corrected! I'll try to finish the next chapter in a week. I hope...


	15. C14 Beyond the Bearded's limit

**Chapter 14.- Beyond the Bearded's limit**

The first stage's white and black fabric fluttered and shook with violence.

The keystone's powerful roaring generated white and rainbow smoke that filled the air.

At Cape Cannonboneveral, ponies at the bleachers doubted for a moment if panicking or not; they chose finally cheering when they saw the launcher was actually going away.

Rainbow felt the world around her vibrating in fury. The five hawaiian pony figurines under the capsule's windshield started to dance wildly. She checked magic instruments first. Trajectory, speed and course seemed to be in order.

Acceleration increased the pressure over her body. She tried to breath, calmly, as everything under her seat seemed to shake without control. Through the window, sky was still blue.

She heard the comms between Ponyville and the Cape then.

\- Launch! Here Ponyville -said Twilight-. Status!

\- Uhhhh -answered Starlight-... Our readings are nominal, Ponyville. We have two old stallions here hopping and laughing as little foals.

\- Copy -answered Twilight-. Here everything seems nominal too. Friendship?

It took a moment for Rainbow to notice.

\- Eevveerryytthhiinngg nnoommiinnaall, Ppoonnyyvville! -she managed to answer.

\- Friendship? We are reading high vibration levels, but inside the envelope. Are you ok?

\- Hhiigghh lleevveell ooff vviibbrraattiioonnss iinnddeeeedd -answered Rainbow-. Aallll Ookk! Wwee ggoo!

Rainbow looked to the big red button. Just to be sure it was still there. It was the safe escape spell Starlight had managed to add. If everything went South, she just had to press it.

No chance she would do that!

The launcher went supersonic then, and a Sonic Rainboom filled the sky at the Cape.

* * *

Magic feathers were writing flight telemetry on parchments, as soon as the sensors magically emitted the data from the launcher systems. Coordinators and helpers were trying to detect anomalies. Atmospheric flight (atmos, for short), would only take about six minutes: once the Bearded's limit were passed, mission control could only communicate with Rainbow through the LCOMM. If there was a moment to abort because any malfunction, it was now.

\- We just went supersonic, Flight! -informed Applejack.

\- On course to injection, _weeeeeee_! I mean, _weeeeee_ Flight! -added Pinkie.

Twilight acknowledged. It was much more easier not to be nervous when everypony had a protocol to follow.

Rarity didn't wait to give her piece of info.

\- Life support is stable, Flight! -she read from the parchment.

\- Trench! -called Twilight-. Give me an estimate for the limit, please.

Fluttershy feeded the numbers to the lemmings and the balls marked less than 4 minutes. The trench was at a corner in the room where Fluttershy, helped by Moon Dancer, were using the lemmings calculation machine to crunch last moment calculations. Lemmings where performing excepcionally good that morning, since Discord had decided to give them, before lefting to the recovery zone, little black squared glasses and the smallest cuttest little white shirts with mini-pens and pocket covers.

\- Three minutes and a half by... Now, Flight! -answered Fluttershy.

\- Time to take a peak, coordinators! -informed Twilight wishing for that-. Main helpers, mission control is yours!

Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Twilight joined around the map where a blinking point in the air was marking Rainbow's trajectory.

Then, Twilight casted the tele-presence spell.

* * *

\- What in Equestria is this! -pointed out Twilight from the hawaiian pony figurine.

Since entering supersonic, vibrations had reduced considerably. The launcher had started the rotation to acquire injection in orbit and because of that, flight was much more horizontal than the first phase. The limit was about to happen at any minute.

Rainbow Dash looked around after recovering from the shock of seeing the diminute versions of her friends, all of sudden, under the windshield. Twilight was talking about all the presents and the stuff the ponies at the Cape had brought to give her good luck. After the lift off, everything was pretty messy.

\- Don't worry Twilight! -tried to calm her Rainbow-. We're still in weight. I didn't have the hearth to give the things back. Even Zecora brought some... Something. I think it's some kind of air freshener. I got it somewhere...

\- Nevermind -mumbled Twilight-. What is the status!

\- Structure seems ok -pointed out Applejack-. I had my doubts with the windows but... No cracks or damage. We're good!

\- Non magical equipment is nominal too -smiled Pinkie-. Can we look through the window now? Please? Please? Please?

\- Air pressure is good -opined Rarity-. No leaks. The suit seems fine. Is it comfortable, my dear?

\- Cozy as a glove on winter -smiled back Rainbow.

\- I don't see... Anything... Off... -whispered Fluttershy, her eyes on every part of the capsule.

\- Ok, ok -accepted Twilight. Then, she smiled to Rainbow Dash-. Can you just...?

Rainbow smiled back and turned the figurines against the window. Sky was black and the albedo's light over Equestria was fainter and fainter. The first stars were appearing then.

\- I wish it was night already... -sighed Fluttershy-. You all should see what Discord showed me.

\- It's wonderful anyway -opined Applejack.

\- So divine!... More than that!... -thought out loud Rarity.

\- It's not a party -accepted Pinkie-... But I guess is... Nice?

Twilight smiled when the clock rang. At any moment they would lose connection.

\- Remember to switch on the camera -ordered Twilight-. But only when you get into orbit. And don't forget to check your LCOMM, ok? If it's broken, you activate the retrorrockets no matter what and...

\- I wrote the procedure, remember? -smiled Rainbow-. Chillax! Everything will be fine!

\- What Twilight is trying to say is... We are very worried... So... Be careful... Ok? -added Fluttershy.

\- I wish you could stay with me -answered Rainbow-. All the way!

\- We'll be there all the way for you, you stubborn pegasus -smiled Applejack-. Be careful!

\- And don't forget... -said Rarity-. Oh well, darling. Just come back.

\- Oh! And if you happen to encounter with alien-ponies -remembered Pinkie Pie at the last second-, tell them I still have their...

The figurines went silent.

Rainbow, hold fast.

The first stage detached and the second stage initiated burning with a heavy push.

She was beyond the Starswirl the Bearded's limit.

At last.

* * *

The three orbits passed faster than she could count.

She followed procedures regularly and once in orbit, she checked all the systems and after switching on the camera, she tried to tidy up a little all the floating mess the capsule have become.

Because she was floating.

Not a single flap needed. It was like swimming, but funnier! She could take impulse from the walls and float here and there easily! So cool! She wished hard Twilight and the others were there...

But she had a job to do.

Capsule was not big, not small. Applejack's final design let lot of room for maneuver. There was still place for three seats more and it was almost as big as a bedroom! Truth be said, Rainbow had thought it was a little too much, but the extra space was actually needed for all the extra equipment, and not just the presents from the Cape! Her friends had added extra air tanks, extra food, extra water, and extra everything, although the plan was just to stay up for like five hours.

Five hours, or three orbits, was all the LCOMM window they have. LCOMM was the Light COMMunicator: a device Doctor Hooves had designed to receive and send short messages. It worked like a lighthouse, but it was small and powerful. By closing and opening a switch, a signal of long lights and short lights could be sent. Once the code was learned, numbers and letters could be received if other pony in the ground was following the light with a special telescope. Every ninety minutes they had like three minutes for sending messages they could read through telescope.

But since Equestria had to rotate, three orbits was all the time they had before the orbit started to pass over places with no LCOMM!

\- Is everything ok? -asked Spike.

He was the last LCOMM at Las Pegasus.

\- All Ok. Small attitude oscillations controlled. Starting retrorockets in a minute -informed Rainbow.

\- Waiting for confirmation.

\- Ok.

\- Flight asks if you enjoyed the ride -added Spike.

\- Tell Flight i'll tell them when I come back.

Rainbow felt the messages seemed too serious. Maybe adding a smile at the end? It didn't matter because she was about to come back! And re-entry was going to be rough!

She seated again and fastened her seatbelt.

Activating the levers, she rotated the capsule to put the heat shield, and the retrorockets, in the direction of movement. Activating the retros would slow her speed and so, capsule will fall from orbit. Trick was to do it at the right time and then confirming fast to Ponyville.

She breathed deep and she activated the retrorockets.

But nothing happenned...

* * *

END OF CHAPTER. CUE TO MUSIC.


	16. C15 Mission Discontrolled

**Chapter 15.- Mission Discontrolled**

\- WHAT? -Twilight screamed.

\- There was no confirmation! -answered Spike from Las Pegasus-. If she activated the retros on time, she didn't confirm. We are looking for her with the secondary optics, in case she didn't activate.

\- Good idea! Copy, Las Pegasus. Rescue! -tried Twilight-. Here Ponyville! Do you see something, Discord?

Discord took his time to answer, since he was a little upset for not being part of the launching procedures. He was happy with his part in the mission, of course: rescuing the astropony and the capsule from the sea, was heroic and fun! Even if the astropony was, well, Rainbow Dash.

But... Since he was the last part of the mission, he was supossed to be out of the launching procedures. He had missed all the cool stuff about the "go" and such. In the meantime, and since the capsule was supossed to land on the sea, he had formed a little navy full of Discord-buccaneers, in diferent kind of boats and ships, looking at the sky with one hundred eyes.

\- Ponyville, here Rescue -answered Discord at last, a slow tone as silent protest-. Uhhh... Negative, negative... No trace of the "Friendship" yet.

\- Copy Rescue -answered Twilight.

\- Ponyville! Here Las Pegasus! -interrupted Spike-. We see her! We see Friendship!

\- Is she going down?

\- Negative, Ponyville! -answered Spike alarmed-. She's still in orbit!

Those were not good news. Admiral Discord hold his breath at the deck of his luxury yatch. He actually did it at the pegasi-carrier, the destroyer, the battleship and that weird looking small row boat, at the crow's nest, where he had to set aside the rasta hairstyle from the eyeliner and the spyglass.

\- I think I see a pattern of light, mate -said Pirate-Discord.

\- It's Admiral Discord, Mr. Discord.

Pirate-Discord didn't take the correction well.

\- No, no, no. No, Mr. Discord. It's **Captain** Discord, _savvy_?

* * *

\- What does the message say?

Twilight translated the sequence of long and short lights Discord had managed to receive from the landing zone. Spike was unable to read since capsule was long gone from Las Pegasus visual.

\- Retrorockets failure. Passing to procedure 645 -she read out loud.

\- I thought, there were only 640 procedures -remembered Applejack, alarmed.

\- And none of them for retros failure? -exclaimed Twilight reading the manual at full speed-. That's critical! If she doesn't reduce her velocity she can orbit up there for ever!

\- Actually -corrected Doctor Hooves-, for a year more or less... But don't worry, Flight! We wrote the last five procedures two days ago... Since retros were not ready we... Postponed them for the last moment.

Twilight felt a little better, but not too much. Retros were critical. As anything else, actually. It wasn't good news their emergency procedures were so rushed. How many things did they have "postponed" for the last moment? She tried not to think about it and focus on the problem at hoof.

\- And... What's procedure 645, exactly? -asked Twilight-. Do we have it written down somewhere?

Derpy appeared with a couple of coffee stained parchments.

\- She gets out from the capsule and she fixes the issue? -Derpy explained.

\- She... WHAAAAT? -screamed Rarity before fainting.

* * *

Rainbow checked one last time her suit's integrity. After more than five hours of only communicating telemetry and fixing attitude errors, going out was both exciting and terrifying. Rockets could have failed for a lot of reasons. And not a lot of them had a solution. She hoped Ponyville had received her message about the 645. Probably Chokorolev was already working in possible failures and solutions. But, first thing first: she had to check the retrorockets and they where under the heat shield so...

Time to go out!

\- I should have done this anyway -she thought out loud.

* * *

\- It is a flight suit! -exclaimed Rarity breathing wildly-. It is supossed to be used as a last resort if we lost life support in the capsule! It is not for going out!

Twilight took the caution of summoning a silence bubble around the discussion. The other ponies at mission control were not even pretending to be doing other things: they have just started to watch Rarity's angry and silent rant.

\- Please, calm down! -ordered Twilight-. If she doesn't go out, we lose her. Are you telling me that we lose her is she goes out?

At that moment, everypony kept silent, even Twilight, inside the bubble.

The gravity of the situation appeared to them suddenly, as a heavy rock falling from the sky.

They were not talking about delays or last minute little issues.

They were, in the blink of an eye, trying to save Rainbow's life. And in order to do so, they have to risk it.

Rarity understood then. She was angry for a moment, since she thought there were other ways to solve the retros problem. But there were not. There was not other way. Sweet Celestia! She calmed down, before explaining.

\- If she stays out more than ten minutes, it is very likely the suit fails -explained Rarity-. The main problem is the temperature. Fabric and laces can break appart if they are very cold and suddenly they are heated up.

\- She will try to avoid sunlight -argued Hooves-. It's in the procedure.

\- What about the air? -asked Applejack.

\- The air is not an issue as long as she keeps her connection with the capsule -answered Rarity-. The suit will break appart before that.

\- Not suit's air! -insisted Applejack-. Capsule's air! If she goes out, air goes out! How much air does she have?

\- She has the suit's reserve, that's like three hours more. And the emergency reserve -thought out loud Twilight-, that's like ten more hours of air. But...

\- But... She only has one shoot at this -explained Applejack-. If she comes back and restablishes life support, she won't be able to go back again!

\- Why on Equestria would she want to go back out again?

\- She knows she only has minutes to solve the retros problem at the **outside** -continued Applejack-. If I were her I would try to unmount the rockets and fix them inside the capsule! If that's the case...

\- Oh, no... -exclaimed Rarity.

\- She will lose all the air if she goes out again to put them back! -realized Twilight.

\- That -accepted Hooves, alarmed-, is not in the procedure! We have to warn her!

\- We have lost the last LCOMM window -remembered Twilight-. But we still have Discord!

* * *

When Rainbow opened the hatch, air went out, fast and wild. It was not an explosion, but she felt the force for a couple of seconds before everything was calmed again. Some Cape presents gone rogue to outer space. She watched them sail away, with the air, trying not to think she could be one of them in case she lost the umbillical cord.

She climbed out the capsule and tried not to lose grip. Everything was silent except for her breathing. Equestria was black and gigantic down there. And up there, sky was filled with so many stars, it didn't was even black in the first place!

Fluttershy was right! It was beautiful!

She tried to focus then. Not time for sappiness!

First moments trying to move were distressing: even after hours of dealing with microgravity inside the capsule, climbing out was harder than she had imagined: every little movement produced an unexpected result! Moving a leg, made her spin; trying to go up, made the grip much more harder!

As fast as she could, she managed to arrive to the base of the capsule: the heat shield and the retros. The torch in the helmet showed her the problem: they were totally frozen! She breathed in relief. That problem was not in the procedure, but it had an easy solution: she could take the retros back to the capsule and dry them properly. After that, she only have to put them out and fire them as soon as possible.

Piece of cake!

She used the wrench and took the three fireworks inside her bag. Then she came back and closed the hatch, just in time for the next dawn.

Just five minutes left for the next LCOMM window.

Then she remembered... Since she was about to complete her fourth orbit, maybe she had lost communications with Ponyville after all! Then she realized Twilight probably had thought about that and put Discord in place waiting for the message. Anyway, she needed air and a little amount of heat for getting the retros dry and de-iced, so she opened the emergency valve and filled the capsule until the pressure gauge marked safe level.

Life support was restablished.

She felt warm again and she realized the suit was covered in ice too.

* * *

(END OF CHAPTER. CUE TO MUSIC)


	17. C16 Mission Discontrolled (II)

**Chapter 16.- Mission Discontrolled (II)**

\- She's not up there, Ponyville! -repeated Discord, totally fed up.

\- Are you sure you checked properly? -repeated Twilight.

\- YES! -answered at once one hundred Discords.

Twilight was so upset she had forgotten about the silence bubble. Everypony at mission control was totally aware of the problems they had in contacting Rainbow Dash through the LCOMM. Discords had teleported themselves to twenty different points in the ocean, all along the predicted orbit. No luck even in locating Friendship at the sky. Discord had tried to teleport to Rainbow's exact location, in case she had manage to reentry but, in his own words, she was in a Changeling's colony or still up there.

\- Check harder, Rescue!

\- I'm really busy at the moment Princess! -answered Discord in anger through the magic COMM-. Too many orders during too much time! -he explained-. I'm dealing with mutineers!

The sword fighting and the sailor swearing was totally audible for everypony. Some would say, after that day, they had even heard cannon shots. As Fluttershy had warned, there were too many Discords for Discord alone to handle.

\- Should we panic right now? -asked Gizmo then, worried as everypony else at the Cutie Map room.

\- Not sure we should -answered Stellar Eclipse, looking to the procedures, parchment after parchment in his hooves-. There's no evil sea monster, no Tyrek's or Sombra's unexpected return... We still have peanuts... I think we are good so far!

\- Oh, sweet Celestia! You are SO into THAT procedural thing! Look buddy! -lectured Gizmo-. This is Ponyville. Here in Ponyville, we panic.

Stellar Eclipse understood then, and left the pages on his wheelchair.

\- So -he thought out loud-... Do we panic right now?

\- Exactly my point! -exclaimed Gizmo.

Pinkie Pie threw a lot of parchments and papers and stuff all over the air.

\- PANIC EVERYPONY! PANIC NOW! -she shouted.

Everypony at mission control started to panic immediately, running with no coordination all over the Cutie Map room, screaming in anxiety, agony and utter terror.

All of them except Doctor Hooves, Derpy, and the mission coordinators. Fluttershy was busy trying to keep safe from the stampide the lemmings at the trench, while Rarity was reading again a handbook about pony-scuba diving and air decompression. Applejack, in the meantime, was trying to math out how much air could they save from the emergency reserves. And how to do it.

Twilight contained herself and the sudden impulse of teleporting Pinkie out of there. Very, very, very far away.

\- Was THAT really necessary, Pinkie?

Pinkie Pie raised her right eyebrow, apparently surprised.

\- You bet! They needed to vent some steam! -she explained-. It's not a party, but not always a party is a solution!

Twilight saw the chaos developing around them. Screams, papers, tables, parchments, a couple of chairs flying through the air... That was definetely last time she threw a space mission control in her castle.

\- And how are we supossed to stop this to focus on the problem?

\- That's up to you, silly Princess! -explained Pinkie-. You have the white vest! Time to Princess-up!

Twilight grunted and used her horn to focus her voice. Luna style.

\- YOU STOP PANICKING RIGHT NOW PONIES! -she screamed in authority.

Everypony stopped immediately on their hooves, in impossible positions and poses. Twilight sighed.

\- Look everypony! -she said changing her voice to normal-. I know things aren't nominal right now, but we are not giving up. We are not! A pony needs us! A friend needs us! We are not going to lose her! Not in our watch! So calm down and work on emergency scenarios! Now! Failure is not an option!

\- What did she said? -asked Gizmo still trembling in the ground.

\- I'VE SAID FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION. SO PONY UP, EVERYPONY! -shouted Twilight-. WE! BRING! HER! BACK!

* * *

Rainbow tried again the LCOMM with no luck. Maybe Twilight didn't convince Discord? She knew that Draconequus was not trustworthy! She sighed while she looked the retrorockets, drying on their ropes in the back. Since there wasn't enough gravity to make the water to fall, she had managed to take humidity away by using and changing tissues. Unfortunately, tissues were running low and although temperature inside the capsule was fine again, she was soaking wet too!

What did just happen? Why the retros were frozen in the first place? And why ice was formed all over her space suit? Better wet than iced, she thought before sneezing. She took away her helmet and cut the air valve. Better to save as much air as possible in the suit.

She checked the systems again and corrected attitude to keep the heat shield in reentry position, just in case. Funny thing, she thought: with that attitude the camera from Equestrian Geographic Society was not taking photos of Equestria.

It was taking photos of the stars.

* * *

\- The air! -exlaimed Pinkie-. That's why! Silly me! I'm supossed to be GNC! I should have known!

Twilight got close to Pinkie's math. Fluttershy went along with her, since everypony was calmed again and lemmings needed no more protection.

\- Elaborate, please! -ordered Twilight-. Applejack is working on the air right now...

\- No, no that! -corrected Pinkie-. When she went out, she released the air! All at once! That's why we can't find her!

\- She changed her orbit! -understood Doctor Hooves, arriving-. Great weakering stallions! That's it! When she set the air free, she acquired a velocity delta! Air escaping from Friendship worked like a little rocket!

Twilight understood them. Retros working against direction of movement would make Friendship to descend. But, if something, as freeing the air, pushed the capsule in any other direction, several possibilities were possible: from changing the orbit inclination to the time of pass of the ground track! That was the reason Discord could not see her! She was travelling in a different orbit! They had been looking in the wrong part of the sky!

\- But -Fluttershy intervened-... How do we know... Where the hatch was oriented? Orbit change could be... A lot of them.

Doctor Hooves was already punching a programming card like a mad pony.

\- We can determine it! -he mumbled-. We know where she wasn't. We know the deltaV. We know an angular interval since we can assume Rainbow was controlling the attitude to put the heatshield in the direction of movement... We just need math... And... Computing power.

Fluttershy stood up.

\- We are ready when you are, Doc -she said firmly.

* * *

Rainbow decided to give LCOMM a last try, since she had finished to catalog all presents for the Cape. Three hours, since coming back from retrieving the retros, and almost nine hours since the launch. She felt exhausted. And... Bummed out...

When she got to the telescope, she managed to receive the last part of a message sended from the sea.

\- Repeat! Repeat! -she asked, desperately.

\- Do not open the hatch again! -warned LCOMM-. Here Spike! Do not open the hatch again! There's not enough air!

\- Copy! -signaled Rainbow-. Not opening. Retros frozen. Put them to dry. Am I flying over las Pegasus again?

Spike sighed with relief on Discord's luxury yatch deck.

It had been a ride, actually, since Discord's mutineers have kidnapped him after Discord had teleported him to assist with the messages. Long story short, he had had to dance with a Discord-worker, a Discord dreessed as a buffalo and a police-Discord Discord. And of course, a sea-Discord Discord. Music was pretty cool actually, but with the situation at hand, he had thanked being able to sneak from the mutineers and untying Admiral Discord for a fast, magic and useful finger snap. After that, no more mutineers. Just a yacht, normal Discord and... Well... A weird looking Pirate-Discord that didn't have vanished with his small row boat.

Spike thought Rainbow didn't need all that information at the moment.

\- I'm with Discord! All nominal! We'll contact with Chokorolev for the retros issue -he signaled-. We'll fix it. We are working in the air problem, too. You are not alone, Rainbow.

Rainbow Dash, up there, in her capsule, stopped a tear.

She didn't realize how alone she felt before that moment.

\- Copy -she signaled-. When is the next LCOMM window programmed?

Spike turned to Discord. They didn't have instructions from Ponyville. Night was falling over that part of the sea. Discord shrugged after throwing away the rest of the ropes. He was about to ask Ponyville when someone interrupted, from his small row boat.

\- Tell her we will follow her path in the stars, mate -said Pirate-Discord-. Tell her we won't let her if she doesn't want to. Tell her the sea and the unknown is full of terrors and monsters, but she must no fear, since we'll be with her along her way.

* * *

(END OF CHAPTER. CUE TO MUSIC)

* * *

Edit: Well. Last corrections are done. Enjoy! :)


	18. C17 Deep Breath

**Chapter 17.- Deep Breath**

Sergei Chokorolev and Wernher Von Braunie finally came back to shore after recovering the keystone. Starlight saw them arriving in good spirit along with the ponies from the Cape that had helped them with their boats to find the launcher's remains at sea.

The night above them was only broke by the light of the lanterns and the sailor's songs. Since they didn't take magic comms to their search, they were still unaware of the mission problems.

She galloped towards them, getting to the beach as fast as she could.

\- Sergei! Werhner! We have a problem! Rainbow Dash has a problem! She needs help!

\- _Vhat_ is happening my _dearrr_? -asked Von Braunie.

\- The retrorockets! They are frozen and she is stuck up there!

Chokorolev changed his sincere smile immediately. At that moment, Starlight realized he was not wearing his long coat anymore.

\- Is _ze_ _Prrrrincess_ _surrrre_? Of _courrrrse_ she is, _sorrrry_ -Chokorolev answered himself-. How much time did pass since _ze_ _prrrroblem_?

\- Rainbow Dash is resting right now -informed Starlight-. She recovered the retros from the capsule's exterior about three hours ago.

\- Did she _starrrt_ to _drrry_ them off inside the capsule? -thought out loud Von Braunie.

\- Yes -answered Starlight-. But there's a problem with the air. She doesn't have too much left! Since she had to got out the capsule to recover the rockets, she's running on emergency reserve and Ponyville estimates she only have seven hour's left!

\- _Zey_ _arrrre_ waiting to _ze_ last moment since she only has one shoot, I see -said Chokorolev-. I'm _afrrrraid_ seven _hourrrrs_ in _micrrrrogravity_ won't be enough _forrrr_ the _rrrrockets_ to _drrrry_.

\- _Vhat_ do you say my _frrriend_?

\- It takes _morrrre_ than two days to _drrrry_ off a _firrrreworrrrk_ _prrrroperrrrly_ -answered Chokorolev-. _RRRRainbow_ Dash needs to _accelerrrrate_ the _prrrrocess_.

\- That's the reason I have tried to reach you -Starlight intervened-. Twilight thought it may be not enough.

\- And she is _rrrright_. It's a _trrrricky_ bussines to _drrrry_ off fastly _somezing_ heat can ignite, my _dearrrr_ -thought out loud Chokorolev-. But I _zink_ we may be able to help _herrrr_.

* * *

\- What does it mean she doesn't have enough air? She had seven hours just one hour ago! -exclaimed Twilight.

At Mission Control no pony was sleeping. After Twilight speech and finding again Rainbow Dash thanks to Hooves calculations, the main activity was trying to anticipate Friendship's new orbit and position, giving Discord and Spike new coordinates to teleport every few minutes. Except the lemmings at the trench, who were sleeping by turns of few hours, everypony at the Cutie Map room had impressive eyebags.

A mission expected for five or six hours was already over twenty.

Rarity and Applejack showed Twilight the math. They didn't expect she looked at it, but she did. They were all exhausted, running on stubbornness, nerves and hot coffee.

\- Oh, no! The carbon dioxide...

\- Exactly, Twi! -exlaimed Applejack from her eye bags-. Air pressure's fine! Oxygene level's fine! But the carbon dioxide's gonna kill her! With all the mess with the retros, we have bypassed the safety procedures! Emergency air was there for a reason! We didn't resolve the carbon dioxide problem, and in case of high levels, procedure states: to vent, reestablish atmosphere and come back home immediately.

\- But now, since she vented before the first air reservoir use was fully completed -continued Rarity-, the calculations do not apply anymore, darling! We have to wake her up, order her to mount the retros again and vent. In two hours carbon dioxide levels will be unhealthy. In three, they will be lethal.

Twilight hold her breath. Rarity was right. If they didn't vent in two hours, Rainbow would intoxicate with toxic air. But, in case retros were not dry enough, they would freeze again and that... That would kill her anyway!

\- I thought we still had the suit's air reservoir -she said after sipping from her coffee cup again-. What about that?

\- We can use it -accepted Rarity-. But once she puts the helmet, it's one hour for reentry and one hour for retros collocation. It's only one more hour of air inside the capsule.

Twilight took a deep breath then, and tried to sound calm.

\- Girls! I know you know, but I have to say it again: we have to delay the retros collocation as much as we can! -she explained-. If the retros are not dry enough no matter how much air she has left! We lose her anyway!

Pinkie interrupted the meeting.

\- Starlight from the Cape! She has located Chokorolev! He has tested a procedure to dry off the retros! Fast and safe! But we need an auxiliary air pumping system!

Every pair of eyes turned to Applejack.

\- Holly molly! -she mumbled taking Twilight's coffee cup.

* * *

As she expected, Luna found that Twilight's castle was running wild in activity.

Almost every dream that night in Equestria was about space ponies, capsules, rockets and travelling to the stars. But in that dreams, she hadn't found Twilight and her friends. And a lot of Ponyville ponies were not there, neither. She had expected one of Pinkie's party turned to epic. But by the sound of it from the outside of the castle, she understood: Rainbow Dash was in trouble.

\- Once that I heard, I came to help too -Luna heard behind-. There's always danger in what dumb ponies do.

Luna saw Zecora arriving to the castle gate.

\- What did happen, Zecora? -asked Luna-. What is going on?

\- I've heard Rainbow's stuck, with no much air left -answered Zecora-. But I'm worried for the air, she may have to breath.

They arrived together to the Cutie Map room.

In there, ponies in frenzy were calculating, ordering, estimating and drinking unhealthy amounts of coffee.

\- Tell her she has to mount piece A2 into hole B3! Not the other way around! -yelled Applejack to Spike through the magic comm.

Fluttershy received Luna and Zecora. A dozen of lemmings were asleep over her back. She explained that Applejack was trying to indicate Rainbow how to improvise an air pumping system with capsule's spare parts. The intention was to dry off the retros, since she needed them to break orbit and descend.

\- But Rainbow is too weak already! -Flutershy lamented-. She's sleep deprived and carbon dioxide levels are too high! She's starting to feel clumsy!

Luna felt shocked. She didn't expect a life or death scenario.

\- I gave her air-cleansers back at the Cape! -exclaimed Zecora-. Did she used them already? Did she forgot them to take?

\- Air-cleansers?

\- She has to put the helmet on! -advised Rarity then-. It is better to start using the suits reserve.

Twilight nodded. So much for that plan. Chokorolev prodecure needed more than three hours for the drying off. There was no chance for Rainbow to finish the pumping system and re-collocate the retros on time. She had to go out in less than an hour and bet her life again.

\- Everypony calm down! -ordered Princess Luna-. I think you should hear what Zecora has to say.

* * *

Rainbow Dash received the order through the LCOMM to put her helmet on.

She managed to do it, and felt immediately better. Bad news were, that meant she had failed to complete air pumping system on time and that she had to try the retros already. Instead of that, Spike repeated the message: "Locate Zecora's present and add it to the main hose as a filter".

They had a plan! They had a plan!, thought Rainbow with hope. Wait a minute... Zecora's present?

She found the air fresheners, opened the wrapping and added them to the new pumping system. In less than half an hour she completed the instructions from Ponyville and started to pump air through the system. After a couple of minutes, she saw the carbon dioxide indicator going down!

Chokorolev idea was to pump air around the rockets to accelerate the dry off. But, thanks to Zecora's air cleansers, not only she was doing that! She was also cleaning the air! They weren't air fresheneers after all.

They were carbon dioxide filters!

* * *

\- Carbon dioxide levels back to normal! -repeated Twilight in tears through the magic comm-. She's got six more hours, everypony!

The Mission Control room exploded in cheers and hope. Zecora, papers, peanuts, and some surprised leemings were thrown into the air. Twilight saw the light coming from the windows. Celestia was already rising the Sun.

\- Time to go home -yawned Luna-. And time for you to have a rest.

\- Thanks, Princess Luna -answered Twilight-. We'll do when we make Rainbow Dash back.

\- Good luck, then -Luna smiled-. I'll tell Celestia to be ready to help.

* * *

(END OF CHAPTER. CUE TO MUSIC)

* * *

Edit: CARBON dioxide. I know, I know... :)


	19. C18 Re-entry

**Chapter 17.- Re-entry**

Zecora's air filters didn't take away only the carbon dioxide, but also the moisture in the air. Rainbow understood that when she retrieved them from the pumping system and sealed them again in their wrapping: they were wet and swollen and they smelled like sea water.

\- _Ave_ _U_ _redirect_ _pumpin_ _sistem_ to the suit's intake? -asked Spike through the LCOMM.

Rainbow smiled. Now she was sure Spike's spelling errors weren't just a carbon dioxide false impression. She realized then. Everypony was probably as tired as she was.

\- Confirmed -answered Rainbow Dash-. Three more hours of air for re-entry in the suit. Legs aching a lot. Awaiting authorization for EVA.

\- EVA? Who's EVA?

\- ExtraVehicular Activity. Easier to spell for baby dragons with sleep deprivation -she answered.

\- :)

\- What? Repeat, please. What was that?

\- It was a baby dragon smiling -he answered-. Never mind. Confirmation from Ponyville. They are ready when you are.

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. She checked again the umbillical cord and opened the hatch. She felt the hit, the air around her escaping and finally, the cold.

Again, the dark and emptiness of space opened above her without limits.

* * *

\- Why do her legs hurt? -Pinkie Pie asked.

Twilight was busy receiving the new orbital parameters Fluttershy was obtaining at the trench: the new EVA would produce again a change in orbit and the major concern was to give Discord new and correct coordinates for rescue.

Pinkie's question rised an asleep alarm in Rarity's clouded head.

\- Did she said that, Pinkie? Did she said her legs hurt?

\- She said her legs were aching -Pinkie shruged-. Just curious about it.

\- Maybe is for the fact she's been pedaling to make the air pump to work -pointed out Applejack-. For hours. My legs would hurt too if I had to pedal on a cranck for so long!

Rarity nodded.

\- May be... But maybe... Too much physical activity is accelerating the process...

\- What process? -asked Applejack alarmed-. What's wrong now?

\- Air embolism -said Rarity not very calmly-. Not much we can do about it, or Rainbow. But I think Discord is going to need the help of a doctor and an hyperbaric chamber.

* * *

Rainbow fixed the last retro to its socket and checked again the firing mechanism. Everything was ready to come back inside the capsule. When she understood there wasn't anything else to do, she tried not to think in the pain she was having in every part of her body and looked to the stars.

That was it, right?

After more than a day floating and travelling faster than any other pony... After being in the verge of death a couple of times...

She was about to come back home.

She wasn't sure about missing the part with anxiety and certitude of dying, but something took over her when she finally reached the opened hatch. Some kind of sadness. The realization that she probably was not going to experience nothing like that again.

She looked back, once more.

The sun was rising, again, in the blue and round horizon below her. Above her, millions and millions of starts the night had revealed, faded into invisibility because of the light.

\- Goodbye -she said to all of that-. It's time to come back with my friends.

She closed the hatch as fast as she could, avoiding the direct sunlight. She got to the chair and she fastened the seatbelt. Then, she corrected attitude once again and fired the retros after a moment of doubt, fear and utter anxiety.

They fired up at the third attempt.

While she was starting to feel the braking acceleration that would bring her back home, she managed to confirm retros burn to Spike.

Everything started shaking and moving and vibrating wildly during the imminent re-entry.

* * *

When Twilight heard the news from Spike she could not contain the tears.

\- She did it! She did it! Retros burn confirmed! -announced Twilight to everypony-. She's coming home! We are in re-entry phase, everypony!

Fear and hope faces in everypony changed to expressions of complete relief. There were no cheers, there was no panic. Only brief stomps as applause that ended soon enough for eveypony to come back to their duties.

For they were mission control and re-entry was supossed to be the dangerous part.

Twilight looked to her friends around her, then.

They got close and huged her, in silence, for a moment, no word out of their lips, no joy or sadness. Just the confirmation they were there for Rainbow and for each other.

And that everything was still far from ending.

\- I will contact the hospital, to borrow an hyperbaric chamber from them -announced Rarity-. We could use some medical personnel too...

\- Doctor Hooves and Derpy are calculating the re-entry trajectory -informed Fluttershy-. I'll go check on them and the lemmings.

\- I'll help you with that -proposed Pinkie-. His prediction model was not good enough for Hershey's kisses in free fall last time we tried.

\- Somepony has to organize those sleepy heads down there. When Rainbow came back from the limit and we had magic telemetry from the sensors again, you know -said Applejack finally-. Are you ok, sugarcube?

Twilight nodded, hiding from everypony else the shaking in her left arm and hoof.

\- I could not be better -she answered. Then, she looked at the clock-. We have thirty minutes for re-entry phase to complete. Let's make every second count.

* * *

Shaking, vibration, g's and heat.

That was all Rainbow was able to feel as the capsule was descending.

That and excruciating pain. All over her body.

She lost the sense of time, since everything around her seemed about to collapse.

Everything outside the capsule was fire and light and roar and fury.

Rainbow could look at the window from her seat, barely able to breath, barely able to see through the fog in her helmet. She was in pain. Like a lot of pain. And those were not only the g's. She understood something else was happening to her; but she managed to keep her conscious a little more.

At any moment she would pass back the limit again.

At any moment.

And she would be able to talk to her friends again, through the magic COMM.

Maybe even teleporting outside with Starlight's red emergency button. She was not sure she could fly, but she could try.

Only thing she had to manage was keep conscience during re-entry...

Being awake.

Awake...

Aw...

* * *

Spike and Discord saw the fire trail piercing clouds and blue sky.

They were again at the sea, so Pirate Discord, was accompanying them in his small row boat, studying the morning sky with his spyglass.

\- Ask for a wish, mate -he announced-, for your star is falling down.

\- Rainbow! Rainbow! Do you copy? -screamed Spike through the magic COMM-. Ponyville, we have visual with Friendship! We have visual!

Discord gasped when they only heard silence coming from Friendship. He took his claw out of the ice bucket to snap his fingers once more.

\- Here we go, sis -he said teleporting the ship close to the landing spot.

Softly, parachutes opened and capsule splashed down.

Spike and Discord jumped to it and opened the hatch.

In the mess inside the capsule, Rainbow Dash was still in the seat, her eyes closed.

Silent.

* * *

Mission control was silent.

Only sound could be heard was the scratching of the magic feathers writing sensor readings over the parchments. Twilight was trying to contact Discord and Spike at the sea, but since the confirmation of visual, they hadn't said anything yet.

Finally, after a minute of anguish in which several ponies fainted due to extenuation and stress, magic COMM sounded through the speakers at the cutie map room.

\- Ponyville, here Rescue! -Discord said-. Friendship has splashed down! I think somepony wants to tell you something...

\- We made it, Ponyville -said Rainbow, tired, extenuated, sick-. We made it...

* * *

There were victory cheers at mission control,

and all over Equestria when news were told.

Happiness and parties and rampant smiles,

hopes fulfilled and no more whines.

Problems solved and no more tears,

since ponies had left behind their fears.

For they had managed to bring her back,

to recover a friend from space so far.

In a new adventure, with their hearths and minds,

in boldly example for the pony-kind.

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC. END OF CHAPTER)

Note: Just one chapter more and we are done. Thanks for reading! :)

Edit: OMG. Lemmings!


	20. C19 Endgame

**Chapter 19.- Endgame**

\- So why am I here exactly? -asked Rainbow Dash from the hyperbaric chamber.

Twilight smiled, as everypony else. The Six were again reunited in a hospital room, waiting for Rainbow Dash to recover from the air embolism she had suffered after her last EVA.

\- The pain you said you felt during re-entry -explained Rarity-, were bubbles of air trapped in your blood. The lack of pressure in your body during your second _sortie_ , made them appear.

\- Cool!

\- Not cool, missy! -grunted Rarity-. You exposed yourself to a lot of danger! Those bubbles could have appeared into your empty brain! You could have ended up paralyzed or dead! You are very lucky!

\- But the suit protected me in the first EVA -protested Rainbow-. I didn't feel a thing after going out the first time!

\- We believe the suit failed, but not catastrophically -explained Twilight-. During your first EVA there was a lot of moisture that freezed over it, as you told us. That affected the fabric by losing it a little in your second _sortie_.

\- So less pressure, and therefore less protection. And remember you started to feel pain after pumping air, before the last EVA, so I'm afraid the suit didn't protect you 100% even then. I'm sorry, darling! -apologized Rarity-. I didn't imagine that could happen.

\- As far as I can see -pointed out Rainbow-, the suit wasn't intended to go out in the first place. It's not your fault, Rar. Don't punish yourself! Now... About that moisture...

Pinkie put the parchment over the glass of the chamber so Rainbow was able to see.

\- The retros got frozen because they absorbed too much water from the air at the Cape -she explained-. Design fault! Chokorolev didn't account for air water absortion since we were expecting to launch far from the coast.

\- Wow! That tiny detail was it? -exclaimed Rainbow surprised.

\- Everything were... Tiny details -pointed out Fluttershy-. We were very lucky nothing else failed.

\- Thank you, girls! -exclaimed Rainbow.

\- Don't thank us yet, Dash -smiled Applejack-. When you get out of there, you've got a looooot of parades to do!

* * *

During next week, Rainbow became her own fame's slave.

Parades at Ponyville, at the Cape, at Canterlot, even at Las Pegasus... Everypony wanted to see their hero. Fortunately for Rainbow, by the weekend last ceremony remaining was the medals reception at Canterlot, and that was it.

At Celestia's castle, Rainbow, Chokorolev and Von Braunie received medals for their contribution to science development and outstanding exploratory achievement.

From Cadence hooves, behind closed doors, Von Braunie received a royal pardon: he was a free pony again.

After that, all the ponies involved at mission control and during the project, received diplomas and a recognition trophy.

\- I think this trophy belongs to you -Twilight offered to Doctor Hooves-. You put the math and the sense in all of this.

Hooves smiled in a manner that Rarity found dashing, cute and irresistible.

\- I think it does not belong to anypony -he answered-. Why don't we... Donate it to the museum? I've heard they are preparing an exhibit with mission memorablia.

Twilight nodded.

Celestia made a toast then, and everypony rised their cider jars, with joy.

\- For the Unknown! For Stubbornness! For Friendship! -smiled Celestia.

* * *

Afer the toast, everypony started to talk and socialize, before going back home.

\- This isn't fair! -exclaimed softly Sweetie Belle-. What about their cutie marks?

\- I guess not all misteries have solution? -thought out loud Scootaloo.

\- Well... Certainly they don't with that attitude! -pointed out Apple Bloom.

\- _Wherrre_ _arrre_ _ourrr_ smallest _frrriends_! -shouted Von Braunie when he saw the Crusaders.

\- _Zey_ _arrrre_ too young for _ciderrrr_ , I guess! -smiled Chokorolev.

The three little fillies checked in crushed hope the stallions blank flanks.

\- I'm sorry you didn't get your cutie marks -apologized Sweetie Belle-. We feel we have failed you.

\- _Therrre_ is no failing to apologize _forrr_ -answered Von Braunie-. I guess _ve_ have not found _vat_ _ourrr_ _trrruly_ _purrrpose_ is yet. That is all!

\- Talk _forrrr_ you, old pony! -laughed Chokorolev-. I have found it and I need no cutie _marrrrk_ to tell me _otherrrrwise_.

\- And what is that, Mr. Chokorolev? -asked Apple Bloom.

\- Well... Since I can't do _betterrrr_ _firrrreworrrrks_ , I was _zinking_ in finding a _betterrrr_ way.

\- A better way for what? -asked Scootaloo.

\- _Forrrr_ going beyond, my small _frrrriends_! -he said-. _Forrrr_ _everrrry_ _starrrr_ in the sky, _therrrre_ will be planets. Wouldn't it be amazing to be able to visit them in the _futurrrre_?

\- I find... That is -smiled Von Brunie-... An excellent idea.

It happened then.

In front of the Crusaders, in front of everypony, at the medal reception, at Canterlot. The two old stallions levitated into the air and with a flash of white light, two identical cutie marks appeared at their flanks: an arrow in a field of stars.

\- What does it mean! What does it mean! -exclaimed Scootaloo.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom searched wildly in the cutie mark diary.

\- Beyond! -they exclaimed at once.

* * *

Twilight contemplated the map at the Canterlot Natural History Museum's wall.

It was incomplete, of course. With the orbital changes and the lack of orbits, Equestria's photographic map from space was far from ended. Anyway, due to the prolonged travel of Friendship, Equestria's Geographic Society was more than satisfied with the extra photographs. Even if more or less, part of their negative was full of starts.

Equestria's Astronomic Society was, by the way, delighted.

\- You can send me there again -smiled Rainbow-. Lots of empty spots to fill in that map!

\- It would be necessary at least two weeks up there to fill them all -smiled Twilight-. Or a better camera. Lots of details!

\- Too boring, I guess -thought out loud Rainbow Dash.

After watching the map, they went to the remains of the capsule, behind a glass. A prolonged bath in the ocean had deformed it a little and signs of the re-entry heat were visible along its surface.

\- I still can't believe I agreed in sending you up there on that! -grunted Twilight-. Can you explain me at least why did you want to go up there in the first place? At the Cape you said you would tell me why you wanted to go!

Rainbow smiled, misterious. It was not usual being able to know more than Twilight Sparkle. It was a warm sensation. But her friend didn't deserve not to know.

\- It was not beautiful because of the stars -Rainbow explained-. It was not beautiful because it was daring and bold. I mean, of course it was because of that, but there was something else... You know... When you don't know something... Doesn't that make you mad?

Twilight nodded.

\- It's the same with going up there -continued Rainbow-. When I tried on my own I wanted to see if I could reach. I wanted to try, to get there, to know... What was up there?

\- You mean... Emptiness, cold, dark and death?

\- You could take poetry out of anything -grunted Rainbow Dash-. I mean... Beyond! It's like looking at the sea from shore! Oh, c'mon! -she exclaimed when Twilight looked at her in disbelief.

\- I guess I can't understand... Tell me... Did it worth it? -sighed Twilight.

\- Of course it did -smiled Rainbow-. Even in case I didn't make it back... I think it would have worth it anyway.

\- Glad you didn't die, anyway! -exclaimed Pinkie appearing from nowhere-. C'mon bookworms! It's time to party! I've prepared an edible version of Friendship and the others are waiting for us at Sugarcube Corner!

\- Friendship is already edible, Pinkie -corrected Twilight.

\- I know! But it requires too much milk! -grunted Pinkie-. What's the point in eating a delicious sweet bread if there isn't enough place in your belly because of the milk! No sense!

Pinkie guided Twilight and Rainbow Dash to the Musem's entry with happy hops. At the stairs, Rainbow remembered something.

\- Pinkie... When you were figurines... Back there, during launch...

\- Yes?

\- You said something... About... Alien-ponies...

\- Oh! -exclaimed Pinkie-. Did you encounter them? Did you? Did you?

Rainbow tried to calm her down.

\- I'm afraid not -she answered-... The thing is you said you wanted me to tell them something about... You still had something... From theirs.

Twilight studied Pinkie's face, since she was staring at Rainbow Dash with her natural and good spirited way of looking at people.

\- Of course! -she answered-. You see... They came to Ponyville one night and I threw a welcome party, and they said they enjoyed it so much, so they called other alien-ponies to pick them up for coming back to their planet since they wanted me to keep their intergalactic spaceship in case I wanted to visit them someday!

And after that, she hoped joyfully away towards the train station.

Twilight and Rainbow looked each other, their mouths opened.

\- She is... Probably kidding -smiled Twilight, nervous-... Isn't she?

* * *

(CUE TO MUSIC. END OF STORY)

Note: That's it. Story completed! Thanks all of you for the patience and the views and the reviews. Sorry about the extra chapter's but I guess they were needed. Thanks! Thanks to Unade and Volgrand, who have read and reviewed a lot. I totally stole Volgrand's Museum and renamed for this chapter. That's all! I guess it's time for Civil War!


End file.
